Long Way Home
by Lady Kendra
Summary: Bardock manages to warn King Vegeta of Freiza's dark intentions and they evacuate as many of their people as possible. Young Vegeta, however, remains in the Dark Lord's clutches, believing his race to be dead. How can our alien heroes prevail?
1. Prologue

AN: Hello all. Lady Kendra here. I've been inspired by Lisalu's writings on Bulma and Vegeta Forever and decided to take a stab at my own Alternate Universe. So...please, enjoy! I will include explanations for most things, and a lot of my information comes from . I will continually use this page as my source for correct DB and DBZ information such as ages, timelines, power levels, etc.

So, mini-synopsis of of LWH: Bardock inherits the ability to See the future, and with this new ability he manages to convince the King of Vegeta-sei to evacuate a small portion of their race off of Planet Vegeta before Freiza comes along to destroy it. Unfortunately, Prince Vegeta remains captive to the Changling and believes his race to be dead. How will the Saiya-jin race prevail over these hardships?

Long Way Home

The Kanassa-jin's words repeated over and over like a mantra to Bardock. "_I have given you the Sight to witness the horror of your end, just like we had to see ours_." And with that alien creature's final words had come a storm of visions, each more terrifying than the last. An incessant flury of images that portrayed the destruction of Vegeta-sei and the death of the Saiya-jins. Panic bubbled deep within Bardock's chest and he struggled not to release a blood curdling scream. No, he knew, he musn't let this end come. He had to stop it.

Fatigue mattered not. His physical injuries mattered less. All that mattered was that he reach King Vegeta before it was too late. He ran down the corridors of the palace, passing by each guard who shouted alarm, and soon enough a large pack were following him, shouting orders to cease and dessist. He ignored their cries and dodged their ki blasts, though barely. Without pausing he barged through the large doors that led to the throne room.

All eyes fell upon him, and the King of all Saiya-jins, Vegeta, seamlessly went from pensive worry to angry outrage while maintaining the dignity of a ruler. "What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed, his voice a deep resonance.

The guards all began to speak at once, but Bardock didn't have time to be explained by others. He stepped forward, as close as he would dare, and knelt out of respect for his soveirgn. "My Lord, I apologize for my hasty entry, but please, I beg you, listen to what I must tell you!" Bardock, despite being a seasoned warrior, could barely keep himself from trembling.

The guards immediately began their protest once more, and the King raised a hand to silence them. "Your name, soldier?" It was a command, not a request.

Bardock rasied his head tentatively. "Bardock, son of Potat. Middle Class fighter." he answered in a controlled tone, hoping that he wouldn't cause his Lordship anymore offense than he already could have.

"And what news could you possibly have to tell me?" The King demanded, arms folded.

Bardock hastily rose, forgetting himself in lieu of his important message. The vision of Vegeta-sei exploding into thousands of tiny particals clouded his sight. "Your Highness, I was assigned by Freiza to purge Kanassa-sei with my squad. Our purge was successful, however, one of the natives felt the need to 'bless' me with the gift of Sight." Bardock swallowed nervously and pushed forward, wanting the King to hear the entire story before Vegeta likely dismissed or destroyed him. "Upon receiving the ability, I fore-saw the destruction of Vegeta-sei. Freiza is wary of our fighting prowess as a race, and is looking to come and kill us all, detonating the planet as his effective means."

The guards behind Bardock murmured amongst themselves, but several coherrent words amongst the lot of them was 'crazy'. 'insane', and 'fool'.

The King Vegeta sighed heavily and went to sit upon his throne. "Bardock, son of Potat, what you tell me is likely true. At the present Freiza has my son, and as you interrupted this council, I was devising a plan to rescue him." The soveirgn's gloved hand smoothed his furrowed brow.

The Sight assulated Bardock's senses once more, and he felt light headed. He 'Saw' King Vegeta storming Freiza's ship, confronting the overgrown lizard, demanding to have his son back. And...King Vegeta fell, receiving a death blow from the monster who had taken his only child. Bardock saw Prince Vegeta, alone and sulking, overhearing the laughing guards speak of a comet that obliterated Vegeta-sei and all of its people, taunting Vegeta with the demise of his race...

"No! My Lord, you musn't! As difficult as this may be, if you go to rescue your son, Freiza will slay you before you ever see the young Prince again!" Bardock realized belatedly that he spoke of treasonous heresy and bowed his head. "Your Eminence..." the rash warrior's voice was barely above a whisper. He fought to keep his entire body trembling, knowing his death could swiftly come upon him at any given second...but it did not. He looked up and saw dark emotion behind the blanched, yet schooled, features of his King.

"What...what must we do?" King Vegeta seemingly resigned himself the fact that he would not retreive his son on this day. As a soverign, his duty was to his people first. The life of his son could not outweigh that of his people.

Bardock frowned pensively, thinking carefully about what he said to his Lord, for whatever he advised could possibly affect the outcome of his entire race. "I think it would be best to evacuate Vegeta-sei. Save as many of our people as we can in the shortest amount time possible. Flee to some backwater planet where Freiza wouldn't think to look. Let him think he's destroyed us. Recoup and defeat him in a few years time." he answered cautiously, watching Vegeta for his reaction.

Vegeta was silent for a few moments, mulling Bardock's response over in his head, weighing the proverbial pros and cons, torn between his desire to save his son and to save his people. But he knew what he must do. For the good of his people, he would trust this man named Bardock. And Gods help him, his son would have to wait to be rescued.

"Where should we evacuate our people to?" the King found himself questioning aloud.

The newly gifted Seer was quiet, wracking his brain for somewhere Freiza would never think to look. For somewhere the Saiya-jin race could wait and grow stronger, if only for a few years' time. He looked up, his gaze meeting that of Vegeta's. "My Lord, there is a planet at the far end of this galaxy, small and inconsequential. My infant son has been sent there for a purge and is on his way as we speak." Bardock fought a flush of embarrassment, for he knew the King was now well aware that he had sired a weakling, but now was not the time for pride, "It is called 'Chikyuu'. And I believe that Freiza will not think to go there...at least not for an ample amount of time."

The King mulled the suggestion over. "Very well then." He prayed to whatever Gods may exist that his son would be safe and well. But a sickening feeling settled in his gut. He pushed it aside, as he would have to for nearly two decades to come.


	2. 15 Years Hence

AN: I know that was the prologue/teaser was pretty short, but it was a prologue after all. I love DBZ way too much not to write about it, so please enjoy, read, review, etc. Thanks! The story is 'T' rated as of right now. It's gets a little heavy towards the end of this chapter. There isn't anything graphic, but an allusion to death, rape, violence, etc... Please avoid reading this if it will upset you in any way!!!

Long Way Home

KING VEGETA WIPED the sweat from his brow and eyed his opponent. Exhaustion pulled at his muscles, sleep becoming a welcome diversion, but no...not yet. Just another hour, minute, even second...one more ounce of training could make him stronger. And perhaps bring him closer to retreiving his son.

The young, though strong, soldier remained alert and stood in a defensive stance. The high gravity of the chamber didn't seem to bother him much. King Vegeta had forgotten the boy's name, as he was the King's fourth punching bag for the day. Really, names mattered not when fist flew and blood was shed.

Vegeta attacked, smirking as the boy dodged predictably, only to meet with a blow to the back that he was not expecting. The boy growled softly, attacking once more, again in a calculable manner. But the strength behind his blows could not be ignored.

"You are strong, pup." Vegeta complimented uncharacteristically.

The boy blinked in surprise, and though his eyes were green, and so very un-Saiya-jin, they gleamed with pride. "I have trained arduously for your cause, Ou-sama." his voice was strong, his dark hair as unruly as any Saiya-jin's could be. His tail was curled protectively about his waist, though it was nearly auburn, very unlikely the deep brown that graced his head.

King Vegeta nodded in approval. "You will be a formidable warrior once you hone your skills. How many years have you seen, pup?"

The boy started in surprise once more, for it was unlikely that the King of your father's people would not only bestow compliments, but also ask personal questions as if they mattered. "I have seen thirteen standard years, my Lord."

The King chuckled. "Ah, yes, you are indeed strong for your age. As were your companions." he said, referrencing the three youngsers he'd fought earlier that day.

The boy outright smiled, something a typical Saiya-jin warrior would never do, but he was not full Saiya-jin, and Vegeta supposed it didn't matter much. "It was an honor for us to be put to your test." he replied enthusiastically.

Vegeta smirked. "Then allow me to grace you with my honor once again." and he attacked, the boy yelping in surprise and fighting back with his inexperienced might. The sparring continued, sweat dripping, blood trickling, bones breaking. The boy really was good, just lacking finesse.

"I think that's quite enough for today, Your Eminence." Bardock's voice echoed in the spacious hall of the training room, cutting through Vegeta's thoughts and interrupting his efforts. He faced the offending disturbance with a scowl. Bardock seemed unintimidated however, and continued speaking, "I have 'Seen' much today...and our Master Tech wants to share some advances that have been made."

The soverign sighed softly and turned to the youngster who now looked a tad worse for wear. "Run along boy. Check on your companions if you wish." Neither of the them would admit aloud that they needed medical attention. Warriors did no such thing.

The demi-Saiya-jin bowed deeply and limped off to the Medical Station. Both men watched him go for a few moments, perhaps taking in the differences and similarities the half-breed had to themselves.

"Quite strong, isn't he?" Bardock remarked offhandedly.

Vegeta nodded in agreement, thinking of the four youths he'd tested and trained with that day. Each one had remarkable strength for such a young age, and each had potential to grow into a skilled warrior. "It seems that allowing our un-mated warriors to breed with Chikyuu-jin women wasn't a pollution of our bloodline after all." he admitted reluctantly.

Bardock crossed his arms, smirking softly. "We've had to change some of traditions and ways...such is the way of survival." And change traditions they had. Since arriving on Chikyuu over fourteen years ago, the Saiya-jins had made many survival-driven alterations to their behavior. Upon arriving to Chikyuu, instead of invading and conquering as they ordinarily would have, Vegeta and his remaining people had come in peace, requesting to make an alliance with the Chikyuu-jins.

The Saiya-jins offered to help the Earthlings with many projects, such as construction, farming, and the like, and also offered them protection from Freiza, warning them of his impending galactic tyranny. In turn, the humans allowed the Saiya-jin to stay, and assisted them with technology and resourses. And it seemed that quite a few Chikyuu-jin women had taken a liking to the Saiya-jin warriors who had not been mated when the destruction of their planet had come about.

King Vegeta had allowed the sons of his empire to breed with these alien women, not entirely sure if procreation was even possible. Nine months hence from his decree, it was apparent that humans and Saiya-jins could indeed breed together and that the product of this breeding produced oddly-colored, immensely strong offspring.

Vegeta had deemed that it mattered not what color a warrior's eyes, or texture his hair was, so long as he had his wits and his power. The Saiya-jin's could no longer rationalize killing off any half-breeds to preserve their racial purity. Their race was at risk of extinction at this point, less than 5,000 of his people surviving the destruction of Vegeta-sei. They simply had not had enough time to evcuate their people before Freiza had come and blown it to proverbial bits.

Of his people who had survived, less than half of them were women. And a good number of them were older, battle-weary warriors who were past their prime for child bearing and rearing. Bardock had once made something of a joke of it, remarking that perhaps he should have had the 'sight' to save only young nubile women and leave the old crotchedy ones to rot.

One could only joke in dark times. Bardock, in addition to becoming his most trusted advisor, had also somehow become what Vegeta would call a friend in these past fourteen years. A relationship that would have never been had Vegeta-sei been intact still. But Vegeta was glad for this companionship, though he'd never admit aloud.

Bardock was the only man who had understood his extensive pain when it came to losing his son, the young Prince. Yes, of course, his people were outraged and upset over the loss of their young soverign, but in time they assumed their King would chalk it up as a loss and produce another heir.

But Vegeta had never given up his son as a loss. It was simply unacceptable. His son, though only five standard years when Freiza had taken him into his icy custody, was strong, intelligent, quick, and decisive. All the makings of an excellent king the elder Vegeta could see in the eyes of his young son. And also...the uncharacteristic warmth of something akin to the Chikyuu-jin word 'love'.

In their own native tongue, there was no word to describe the feeling a parent felt for their child, and it was often frowned upon to have nonsensical familial connections in any case. You were supposed to have a connection with your purging squad, your barrack-mates, your army-divisions. Parents were not expected to have an emotional investment in their offspring until their offspring grew up and proved themselves worthy.

Vegeta supposed that was why his own father, the King before he, had been so harsh, critical, demanding, and just an outright ass to him for the majority of his life, until he felt himself ready to kill his father and take the throne for himself. Such was the way of the sons of Vegeta-sei, to kill your father to take the throne for yourself. It was a tradition that his people had carried for generations, one that proved the strength of the next ruler to come. His own father had preened him well for the task.

But, nearly fifteen years ago, when his young son was growing in strength, studying fastidiously, and seemingly able to cold-cock his father when no ki was involved...in those days Vegeta had felt much pride in his young son. That perhaps he would become the next legendary, the messiah who would bring infinte glory to his race, allowing them to spread their influence and pwoer throughout the galaxy.

He would find himself checking on his son in the middle of the nights, though it was only occasionally. Asleep, his son's constant frown was replaced with a childish innocence, something Vegeta had himself lost well over a century ago. His would run his finger's through his son's unruly bangs, knowing full well that as he grew into adolescence they would grow longer and blend in with the flame of the rest of his hair.

Sometimes his son would wake, smile at him sleepily, and drift off into his slumber once more, feeling safe and as if all was well with with world. That trusting, loving smile was one Vegeta knew he'd have to vanquish eventually. Each day he told himself that tomorrow, tomorrow would be the day he'd become harsh, cold, and uncaring to his son. But each dawn, when he would breakfast with his child, it became infinitesimally difficult to do so. His son would school his features into a perpertual frown that matched his own and with all seriousness report what his plans for the day were.

Nappa also seemed to be soft on the young Prince, but not enough that Vegeta deemed him unworthy to be his guard and caretaker. In fact, Vegeta felt that Nappa was partly the reason the young Prince's strength was amasing so quickly. With Vegeta's nature and Nappa's nuture he seemed to be stronger than any Prince had been before him.

Vegeta preferred to tell himself that it was his own good genetics that he had passed onto his son, but his wife had been also responsible. She had been witty, clever, excellent at intrique and deception. Her strength was above average, but there was something about her...he had known form the moment he'd laid eyes on her, in their youth and her beauty, that she would be the one. His moonbound bride, his soulmate, the women who would bear the next generation of King's to lead their race to absolute power.

But she had passed on while laboring the birth of their son. A piece of him had died with her, but there was still a planet to govern, a galaxy to conquer. So he pushed the pain aside, only to visist him each night as he lay in bed to sleep, wishing the feel of his mate beside him...

But, he digressed. The love for Verdura, the love for his son...it was now the glue that had held him together. The hope that he could grow strong enough to defeat Freiza, to save his son and set him upon the new throne of the Saiya-jin empire...

"My Lord?" Bardock inquiered softly, for they had reached Vegeta's personal office and he had not spoken since they'd left the training room. He was hesitant to interrupt his King's thoughts, and hence Bardock's voice was softer in this instance, much gentler than his disturbance of his training had been, and Vegeta shook himself from his thoughts. He had been lost in thought often lately, it seemed.

"...do you ever think of Raditz?" Vegeta found himself questioning aloud. He entered his office, simple in tones of espresso and beige, chaotic with maps, papers, and varying forms of technology.

Bardock blinked in surprise, and the hurt that Vegeta felt himself for the loss of his own son now relfected in Bardock's ebony orbs. "Yes, my Leige. I think of him often." he replied, sorrow lacing his voice.

Bardock and his son Raditz had been a rare example of father and son who had fought together, had been battle comrades, and had come to know and repsect one another. Moreso friends than father and son, but the closest emotion to the Chikyuu-jin word for 'love' had been there.

"He was stationed with my son when Vegeta-sei was destroyed." the words were like ash on his tongue, and after nearly fifteen years of this shocking revelation, they were hardly able to be uttered to another. He sank into his plush leather chair, hunched over his desk.

"And Nappa." Bardock summated. He sat in the chair placed before Vegeta's desk, grabbing the nearest writing utensil to fiddle with. A quill, sharpened and feathered.

Vegeta frowned thoughtfully. "The three of them...they are likely to band together...perhaps they can manage to keep Vegeta safe..." Bardock was the only person the King did not censor himself in front of, and though he sometimes felt embarrassment for the words that slipped from his mouth, Bardock never seemed to mind, and sometimes confiding something equally embarrassing.

Bardock chuckled at this, setting the quill back onto Vegeta's desk. "Vegeta, it is likely your heir is bossing those two around, barking orders left and right!" he exclaimed, now mildly amused, a nice change to the heavy sorrow he resembled only moments prior.

Vegeta felt the corners of his mouth twitch. "Oh, have you 'Seen' so, Bardock?" he questioned tartly. He leaned back in his chair, wondering at the marvels of Chikyuu-jin furnishings, even after all this time.

Bardock grinned softly. "Something like that...though I'm sure you think of your son and see the small boy he had been back then." His words rang true, for Vegeta couldn't imagine what his son was like now. How tall he could have become, if his hair had remained that auburn hue, or if it had darkened, if his bangs had truly grown out...and more pressing matters such as how strong he had become, how much more keen and sharp he'd become, if he had grown to be honorable and true, or as twisted and dark as Freiza was himself...one could only guess when a child came to age under the thumb of a tyrant like Freiza.

"Yes...it's hard to know what he has become now..." Vegeta trailed off, lost in thought, cursing himself for becoming so sentimental in his older age. Though one hundred and three was hardly old... He glanced at his companion. "You are fortunate in one thing, Bardock-san." he finally said.

The Seer arched a brow. "Oh?" was his only response.

Vegeta nodded. "You have seen both Raditz and now Kakarrot grow into manhood." he informed his friend, "With your eyes, I mean. Not that blasted Sight of yours." he added belatedly.

He looked pensive himself. "Yes. Raditz has always had my respect. And Kakarrot...he is not the dissappointment I thought him to be at his birth." Bardock had this habit of not giving enough credit to himself or his progeny. Vegeta found it to be both humble and annoying at times.

"You cannot be serious? Kakarrot is impressively strong! I should like think that if circumstances were different, I would have him in my son's own personal entourage." Vegeta told his friend honestly.

Bardock's features colored and he looked away. "You honor my house with your words, Ou-sama."

Vegeta sighed with exasperation. "Truly, if I wasn't keen to see my son on the throne..."

"Kakarrot has no such ambitions, Vegeta-sama." Bardock interrupted. Both men thought of the boy who had been the first of their race to grace this planet. When they came across him, he had been an agreeable, giggling infant, changed from a blow to the head. But Bardock had taken his son under his wing, training and raising him to be a true Saiya-jin warrior. Kakarrot had grown tall and strong, utterly devoted to his King, his people, and their cause. A strong warrior, brave and true, fearing nothing but the wrath of his King.

But something was different about Kakarrot than was normal for a Saiya-jin. He had a compassion about him, a gentleness even, that seemingly only added to his strength. It was not a liability, and he was therefore accepted by his Saiya-jin peers and the humans as well. And, as much as Bardock would not admit such a thing, he had come to care for this son as deeply as he had his firstborn.

"Comforting to hear." Vegeta remarked eventually. Bardock too, had not given up hope of rescuing the young Prince. Vegeta was glad that someone else still cared for the fate of his son.

Bardock grinned wryly. "So, do you want to hear about my visions, or not?" his words were almost like a steak one would hold teasingly over a starving dog.

Vegeta scowled. "Out with it, Seer."

Bardock's eyes clouded, his expression taut with some sort of mystical hold, a look that made him look both surreal and awe-inspiring. "I have Seen this occur...this morning in my meditations...the vision was so real I felt as if I were standing there, that I could reach out and touch them..." he sifted in his seat, coming to sit in a cross-legged fasion. Vegeta minded not that his boots were on the fabirc of the seat.

"I envisioned," Bardock continued, "the following..."

_The bell at the door of younger Vegeta's quarters rang in a mildly annoying tone, and he went to answer it. "What is it?" he barked rudely, irritated at the disturbance. _

_"It's Nappa, your Highness." the intercom's gravely voice replied._

_Vegeta sighed with impatience and pressed the button the opened the door. The loyal guard stepped into room, towering over the Prince in an intimidating fashion. Though Vegeta seemed unfazed. Both warriors were dressed in variations of Freiza's standard uniform, though Vegeta's was much more covering and a bold navy in color._

_Vegeta went over to his meager desk, sitting regally and regarding his servant. "What is it you want, Nappa?" _

_Nappa looked about Vegeta's sparse quarters, lacking the personal effects one would normally see in a person's bedchambers. "I merely came to escort you to the docks. Our next mission is-"_

_"I know the list of the planets we are supposed to purge Nappa!" Vegeta interrupted, scowling darkly at the elder Saiya-jin. "As I also know what time we are scheduled to leave." the surly Prince crossed his arms._

_Nappa tensed nervously. "Forgive my assumptions, Ouji-sama." he bowed his head feebly. So strange that a large man such as Nappa would cover before such a smaller man such as Vegeta. The various aliens on their base who didn't know much of the Saiya-jins always seemed to cast questioning gazes._

_"How about you do tell me one thing I don't know. Where is Raditz?" Vegeta demanded. He looked at Nappa disdainfully._

_Nappa stepped into the room, bowing before his Leige. "He is on his way, my Lord." _

_Vegeta sighed once more, this time with exasperation. "He better not be late. I'm in the mood to maim." he announced testily._

_Nappa glanced up at his soverign quickly before lowering his gaze once more. "Forgive me, Ouji-sama, but...are you well?" he somehow managed to keep his voice steadied, though he feared Vegeta. Moreso than Freiza, he would hazard to guess._

_Vegeta's features softened, almost as if he recalled that Nappa had been his caretaker since birth and was one of the two people still alive that gave a rat's ass about him. "It's fine, Nappa." he answered softly, his expression twisted with emotional and mental agony._

_This time it was Nappa who was seething. Enraged could even be deemed appropriate. "It's not right Vegeta! I cannot allow this to continue!" his giant knuckles were bleached white, he was clenching them so tightly. The larger man trembled with barely contained anger. "We must leave! Go somewhere..!"_

_Vegeta fought to keep his features steady, to morph them permanently into an unfeeling mask. He did not want to attest his fears, his anguish, his outrage, his agony...not to anyone. Not even Nappa. "Go where, Nappa? We have no home, no planet that we'll be safe on for any measure of time. He will hunt me to the ends of this Gods-forsaken galaxy." his voice was dry, his eyes focusing on the window which gave sight to the vast breaches of space. _

_Perhaps if he gazed at the place where his homeworld once was, it'd reappear. That he'd be five years old again, waking from his slumber to see his father by his bedside, the pride in him evident in his sire's eyes. That Nappa would take him into the wilderness to train against wild beasts waiting to tear out his throat. That tutors would drone on and on about Saiya-jin history that he cared little for, since he'd be making history of his own in due time._

_Back to a time when he'd been somewhat innocent. As innocent as a Saiya-jin child could be, growing up in perpetual war, violence, and bloodshed. But it was what he knew, it was what called for him, it was what was lurking in his blood._

_But not this...this hired purging, being at the beck and call of a sadistic lizard who asked for entirely too much and took it when you didn't willingly give it. He thought back to the first time, a shock stronger, a hurt deeper than he'd known, even when he'd heard of the destruction of his planet and the death of his race..._

_The lizard's lisping voice echoed in the recesses of his mind, "Don't fear little Prince...it won't hurt...much." Claws sinking into the tender flesh of his shoulder, not hurting nearly as much as Freiza sunk others things into places he wasn't sure were possible and not something he entirely understood at his young age. He cried out in pain, tears slipping down his face, adding to his shame, and he begging for it to stop, please, no...Father...help me..._

_But he never came to save him. Nappa-sensei never came either. No one came. _

_And so it continued, each year. Everytime Vegeta returned from a purging mission, Freiza would beckon him to his private quarters, claimibng he needed to breif Vegeta on his progress. Raditz and Nappa hadn't known, at first, but over the years Raditz had figured it out. He had a clever mind hidden behind his warrior's facade. And soon enough, Nappa knew as well._

_Vegeta wasn't sure what was worse: the suffering he endured at the hands of Freiza, or the fact the his last two subjects knew about the entire degrading insult he endured time and time again... _

_Nappa knelt at Vegeta's feet. "My Prince..." he murmured brokenly. No sooner than Nappa had uttered his hearfelt mantra, the door sang shrilly._

_Vegeta welcomed the interruption. "Answer it." he bade his kinsman gently, his anger receeded for now. Nappa had done too much for him, had remained loyal despite Vegeta's want for a throne. Had always been there..._

_Raditz entered the room, bowing respectfully. "Your Eminence." He took note of the constricted emotion in Vegeta's quarters and he knelt before his Prince much like Nappa had moments earlier. "May I speak frankly?" he questioned, gazing into Vegeta's eyes with unwavering loyalty._

_Vegeta nodded. "You may."_

_Raditz nodded and continued nervously, "Nappa and I have been thinking..."_

_"A dangerous pastime." Vegeta remarked wryly, feeling the need to ease the tension within his room. Both Nappa and Raditz chuckled slightly. _

_"My Lord...my younger brother Kakarrot was sent to a planet on the far side of this galaxy on an infant purge. I've checked Freiza's database discreetly and it seemed there are no plans in the future to purge and sell this planet he was sent to. It is seemingly that insignificant." Raditz informed his Prince._

_Vegeta's brows furrowed thoughtfully. "What year was he sent?" _

_"Year 737, my Lord." he answered quickly._

_"Ah. So he will be about fifteen standard years by now. I wonder if he successfully completed his purging mission..." Vegeta trailed off lightly._

_"The advantage of this is that Freiza destroyed Vegeta-sei before the information of my brother's infant purge was documented. so he has no idea we ever sent Kakarrot there. No one does." Raditz could not contain the excitement in his voice, his features lit with hope. "If Kakarrot did complete his purge, he will be waiting there for us, wondering what took us so long."_

_"He could be an ally to our cause." Nappa added as an afterthought._

_"One of the planets on our purge is somewhat close to this planet, Chikyuu, that Kakarrot was sent to. But not enough to arouse suspicion. Perhaps if we allow oursevles a 'fake defeat' and then somehow dismantle our communication devices...Freiza would never be able to track us. He'll believe we are dead, defeated by the planet's inhabitants."_

_Vegeta blinked in surprise. He had seen glimpses of Raditz's intelligence before, but never quite so much, nor for this type of plans. "By the Gods...it may very well work." he murmured, Nappa nodding his head in agreement._

_"It'll take some time though, Vegeta-sama. We'll need to follow the purge list, as per usual, so we do not send up any red flags..." Raditz warned carefully._

_Vegeta shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It's...something. Anything." he replied, for once not having a sarcastic remark on the tip of his tongue. He gazed upon his subjects, the last of his kind. Save for the infant who was now a half-grown man, on a planet that destiny has set him aside for safekeeping. He trembled with the gravity of it all. "Come along, men, we have a purging mission to get to."_

_The three Saiya-jin stood, the two larger following their leader, as they set forth on a mission unbeknownst to anyone but them..._


	3. News

AN: ...yes...Freiza rapes Vegeta. C'mon...Freiza even gives me the creeps! He's like the Michael Jackson of the DBZ universe! (No offense to anyone...I personally love Michael and his music and he can molest as many little boys as he wants as long as he can belt out Dirty Diana...same thing with Prince...and George Michael...) *coughs* Okay...anyway...

Sorry if I'm offensive in anyway. But you've been warned!

Long Way Home

KING VEGETA REMAINED silent for quite some time after Bardock finished speaking of his vision. Bardock watched him warily, for though he had told Vegeta everything he saw of the young Prince and his comrades, never before had the subject of what Freiza had subjected Prince Vegeta to come to the King's attention. The Seer had suspected it, though he had never been able to confirm whether the monster had truly defiled the Prince in such ways or not.

He'd only had visions of the Prince in the aftermath, bleeding, broken, retching in his own shame and disgust, fighting off a nervous breakdown. It seemed each time was not much easier then the last. In many of Bardock's visions he had seen the Prince struggling with himself, mourning the loss of his planet, his people, and now his dignity. Vegeta seemingly tried his best to block any and all emotion by pummeling himself to the bone, training until he'd used up every last ounce of his energy fighting his inner demons and foes.

It seemed that Freiza had a special interest in Vegeta, for he never killed him or injured him in such a way that he would never recover. After the white lizard had finished with his object of affection, he'd call for servants to take him to the medical wing and throw him into a regeneration tank. And for as long as Vegeta was on base it would continue, a sick cycle of abuse and sadistic sexual pleasure, Vegeta healing up in a tank, only to be in the clutches of the maniacal monster once more.

Bardock observed his King, taking note of how Vegeta's face was blanched white, his hand covering his mouth as if to stop any outward display of emotion from breaking through. "My Lord...?" he implored softly, hoping he wouldn't say the wrong thing. The last thing he needed was to be beaten within an inch of his life because he'd informed Vegeta of his son's misfortune.

King Vegeta kept himself under control, however, and his eyes met with his Seer's. "Yes, Bardock-san?" his voice was small and detached.

Bardock feared the worst. "...at the very least, Vegeta-sama, this means that Vegeta and his vassals will be here within a year's time. A year and a half at the most if their purging missions take longer than expected." he did his best to sound optimistic, though the warrior was certain he'd be equally as distraught if the same hardships fell upon his own progeny.

King Vegeta's head fell into his hands, his fingers gripping his hair, trembling. "I allowed my son to fall into that mosnter's claws...all for treaties and diplomacy and...and...for what? What?! For our planet to be blown to miniscule pieces, motes that will travel to the ends of the galaxy instead of our supreme rule..." his voice, gaining ferocity in the middle of his statement only to weaken to a soft waver, broke suddenly. His hands dragged from his hair to his face, covering it from Bardock's view and the King drew in a slow tremulous breath, as if attempting to keep tears of anguish at bay.

"I am sorry, Vegeta. So sorry." Bardock offered gently. This was a difficult subject, one that neither would have ordinarily admitted aloud nor expressed emotion over had their race and honor been intact. But now...their planet was was gone, their race half in shambles and becoming diluted with Chikyuu-jin blood, and their Prince the sexual playtoy of the universe's tyrant.

A errant tear slipped from the King's murky eyes, slidding down his cheek to land on his mahogany desk with an inaudible plop. "Leave me." he murmured in shame, his hands obscuring his face from view still.

Bardock said nothing, though his heart lurched with unbidden emotions. Never before in the near 15 years that he had come to know and befriend his King had he ever seen even one tear escape his Leige's countenance. How tantamount must Vegeta's outrage, anger, agony, and disgust be for him to shed that one salty drop? How much hate and frustration...

Bardock bowed his head. "My Lord..."

King Vegeta whipped his head up, pounding his fists vengefully on his desk, the wood cracking and splintering beneath his temper. His face became red, tears now trailing freely. "I said leave me!" he roared, his ki nearly swirling off of his formidable frame.

Bardock schooled his expression carefully, bowing deeply. "Yes, Your Highness." he answered curtly. Now was not the time to comfort the King. The man needed his privacy. He left quickly, closing the door behind himself.

King Vegeta buried his face in his hands once more, a sob hitching in his throat. "Oh Vegeta...what have I done?" he moaned in anguish, his voice breaking. "I've failed you moreso than anyone else..."

THE REGENERATION TANK blipped in a merry tune which signaled that it had completed it's cycle and the water began to drain. The occupant stirred, stretching newly healed bone and muscle, before stepping out from the womb of the tank. She was nude, but was unphased and unembarrassed. She merely grabbed a towel, drying the last vestiges of the tank's healing elixer from her pale skin.

"How you feeling Lechuga?" a companion, his hair still damp from being in the tank himself, asked cheerfully. He had donned loose navy colored gi pants and a 'baseball' tee and was in the process of lacing up his boots.

She grabbed a comb, carefully detangling her silky raven locks, not bothering to dress. "Hn. Well enough as one could be after sparring with King Vegeta." She answered dryly. Lechuga closed her ebony eyes, concentrating on her task at hand. Despite what she let others believe, her waist length, Chikyuu-jin hair was her most prized feature.

The boy chuckled, straightening as he finished lacing his boots, and ran a hand through his damp hair. It was also a softer Chikyuu-jin texture, and white in color, and his eyes were a sky blue. Many assumed he was completely human until they caught sight of his white furred tail. He didn't mind much, he preferred to resemble his mother, for she was the only parent he'd ever had and he was not ashamed of his heritage.

"It was quite an experience." he said, closing his eyes as he relished over the memory. He replayed every punch, kick, and energy attack as one reminisce over their happiest day of their life. This was probably the closest he'd gotten to such, being only thirteen years of age.

"Oh Kale...you and your insatiable love of battle." she sighed softly, setting the hairbrush aside as she searched for her clothing. A pile of nealty folded, laundered clothing sat on a chair that was near the Regeneration Tank she'd been recovering in. She donned a black tank top and her favored red gi pants.

He grinned, watching her dress with vague interest noting how her clothing hugged newly developing curves. "Don't deny that you feel the lust for blood."

She smirked. "Only once a month." she retorted, knowing full well that her statement would disgust him slightly. She smoothed her hair, knowing that it would dry straight and silky. It seemed that the fluid from the tank was a suitable conditioner for her long locks.

And true to form, he shuddered. "Too much information! Thank you!" his face crinkled with distaste.

She fought to keep her expression still and she gazed at the two occupants still within the chamber of the tanks. "Aspara and Rhuba still healing I see." she remarked, seemingly amused in general.

"They were the last two to fight the King." Kale replied, peering at their prone forms floating in the greenish liquid. He took note the Rhuba seemed taller, but still not as tall as him. He was secretly glad that he could at least best Rhuba in one attribute. Kale came second to Rhuba when it came to fighting power and the rankings among demi-Saiya-jin.

Since the demi-Saiya-jin had come to be born they were carefully monitored, each new year of infants ranked by their power levels and fighting skills. At the beginning of the new year, for the past few years, Kale had come in a close second to Rhuba, seemingly never able to catch up to him. And for the next year, he'd train relentlessly to catch up with him, but to no avail. The December demi-Saiya-jin Tournament always left Rhuba bearing the gold medallion and Kale in second with silver.

Aspara, Lechuga, Rhuba and himself were among the first of the demi-Saiya-jin to have ever been born. The eldest were only thirteen, nearing fourteen at this time, and demi-Saiya-jin were still being born every year. And today, the four of them had proved that demi-Saiya-jin were not a mistake and they were not half-breed watered down mutts. King Vegeta had been dually impressed and pleased with their skills and power levels. Kale felt an inkling of pride in that he'd succeeded in this much.

Aspara's Regeneration Tank bleeped merrily and the greenish fluid was flushed away. She wrapped her blonde tail around her slim waist out of habit and exited the tank with a yawn. "Something about that thing always makes me feel groggy..." she complained lightly, rubbing a towel vigorously over her unmanagable golden hair.

Lechuga smile faintly. "Perhaps you don't sleep enough...always training to catch up to me." her voice taunted. It was all in jest though, as the two girls were barrack-mates and knew one another since infancy. If one didn't know better, they would suggest that the two girls were best friends.

Aspara's violet gaze narrowed slightly. "Perhaps you wish to catch up to me when it comes to the bustline." she spat, though again, it was a mockery. But it was true, though Aspara was barely 5'2'', she was very curvy and endowed. It was often a joke that her frame could slow her down in battle. Lechuga was nearly the opposite, coming close to 5'8'', with a very willowy figure and less of a bust. Had she been completly human, she would have likely been scouted to be a model, for her features were very chiseled and fine. Aspara would sometimes admit her envy of her friend's beauty compared to her more plain facial features.

Lechuga snorted less than delicately. "Ah, you'll have to catch up to me in height, I'm afraid. Then maybe your bustline would match the rest of you." she flipped her long hair over her shoulder, a non-verbal taunt in Aspara's eyes, since she despised her own unruly locks.

"Perhaps you two should stop bickering about who has topped the other and instead focus on your affection for one another." Kale suggested lewdly.

Both girls shot a glare at the offending boy. "Kale!" they both barked irritably. More often than not Kale had some sort of sarcastic or lewd comment to share with the rest of them. And more often than not no one was happy to hear whatever rude thing he had to say.

He jumped, laughing nervously. "Okay ladies! I apologize!" he waved his hands in panic, perhaps a feeble attempt to fend off the women's anger.

Lechuge flipped her raven locks over her shoulder, turning to gaze at Rhuba's tank. "It seems he won't be done for another hour. What say we all go to the mess hall and find something to eat?" she suggested cooly.

Aspara nodded as her stomach rumbled in response. "Good idea." she cast a disdainful glance at Kale. "You can come along as well...if you can keep your mouth shut." she informed the pale-haired demi-Saiya-jin.

Kale rolled his eyes. "Please, ladies, I know you'll miss me if I don't bless you with my presence!" Both girls linked arms and walked off without regarding him. He balked and rushed to catch up. "Just kidding!" he cried, hoping to win their forgiveness once more. Both girls exchanged a smirk.

BARDOCK FOUND HIS son in one of the many gravity chambers contained within the Saiya-jin compound, training relentlessly with the newest prototype of the fighter-bots the Master Tech had developed for the Saiya-jin cause. He observed his younger copy as he slashed through the bots with ki and with lightening quick strikes of his feet and fists, the bots dropping to the ground in piles of steaming machinery and schrapnel.

He entered the room, bracing himself for the change in gravity, and Kakarrot immediately shot a ki blast at the intrusion. Bardock dodged, sending one in response. Kakarrot feinted, dissappearing from vision, appearing behind his father to strike him down. Bardock turned just in time, catching his son's interlaced fists with one hand. "Not bad." the scarred warrior complimented lightly.

Kakarrot eased up, landing with grace beside his father. "A pupil can only strive to be better than his sensei." he answered, his voice steady, though he was clearly attempting to provoke his father.

Bardock cuffed his son lightly. "Arrogant upstart." he insulted affectionately.

The younger Saiya-jin cracked a grin. "Like father, like son." he retorted quickly. The time for joing was over, however, and Kakarrot's features schooled themselves once more. "Have you shared your vision with Vegeta-sama?" his voice was laced with curiousity and morbid fear.

The Seer looked straight ahead, his eyes not meeting those of his copy. "Yes, I have. He...needs time to digest all that our Prince has been through while in Freiza's services." the elder answered carefully.

Kakarrot frowned softly, his dark brows furrowing together. His father had not told him details, only informing him that the Prince, his older brother Raditz, and the warrior Nappa would be arriving to Chikyuu within a year's time. Kakarrot had merely accepted this information and left to go train. Such news, as wonderful and jubilant as it was, was no reason for him to change his daily routine. "...since they are coming to retrieve me, am I to be sent to greet them when they arrive, Father?" he questioned, hoping the change of subject would alleviate his sire's worries.

Bardock mulled it over. "I suppose it would be for the best, considering they have no idea that any remnants of our race are stationed on this planet. It will be quite a shock for all three of them, Prince Vegeta especially." he answered truthfully.

Kakarrot crossed his arms, scowling softly. "I would imagine so." he replied curtly, imagining how the Prince would react to the fact that his father and their people had been hiding out on this backwater planet for nearly fifteen years while he and his men suffered at the hands of that tyranical lizard.

The elder warrior looked to his young son who had only seen fifteen years. "You are young yet," he told him mildly, "and have many years yet to understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If Prince Vegeta is not a stable and suitable heir, King Vegeta will put him down and produce another. If Prince Vegeta is strong enough to overcome his less-than-savory circumstance...then he will be a fine ruler indeed."

The boy sighed softly. "I know...it is just..." he checked himself from speaking aloud, as emotions were often disregarded as weakness. How could he admit to his strong warrior of a father that he felt empathy for his people's Prince who had seen only five years more than himself? And in those years their Prince had seen, the majority had been full of blood, pain, and the anguish of believing that he and his two vassals were the last of their destroyed planet and people.

No, Kakarrot would not tell his sire that he felt something akin to sympathy for his struggling Prince. Nor would he tell him that he intended to befriend the Prince once he did arrive on Chikyuu. 'Friendship' was not something any discerning Saiya-jin outwardly sought with another of their kind. It occured on its own, after many years of comraderie and fighting beside one another. In fact, from what he understood, it was only recently his father had been claimed a friend by King Vegeta himself.

But, he digressed. Kakarrot eyed his father. "So, anyway...has the King seen the Mastertech's new advances?" he questioned impatiently, feigning the impudence of an adolescent. A slight thrill raced through him as he thought of the Mastertech. As of late, he'd felt some sort of strange pull towards her, stopping by the lab frequently, claiming he was checking in on her on behalf of his father. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this strange new development.

Bardock shook his head. "The king was beside himself...he was not in the right state to hold council with the Mastertech."

Kakarrot fought to hide a giddy grin. "Well then, I suppose I'll stop on by and take full report of her new achievements." he announced quickly, bounding off to the showers without waiting for his father's reply.

Bardock watched his son's eager leave and shook his head. Kakarrot was all too obvious with his affections for the young Mastertech. He wondered breifly if he should inform the boy of tact, but decided things would be much more interesting if he failed to do so. He walked briskly over to the room's controls, setting the gravity to a higher setting. Whenever his thoughts plagued him, it was best to train until his body and brain were too tired to ail him.

THE MASTERTECH READ over her print-out, wondering if perhaps it was not detailed enough of a report. Sometimes she forgot that Saiya-jin were not exactly mathmatically or mechanically inclined, and often her scientific jargon was lost on them. She took a red pen from her desk, making corrections and adjustments, pausing only to tuck an errant lock of blue hair behind her ear. So ingrained in her work, she jumped in surprise when her office door opened, the flurry and noises of the laboratory seeping into her once tranquil haven.

She turned toward the intruder, whipping her reading glasses off so she could not only see him or her clearly, but so that they could see her and her abject fury. "If you haven't noticed, I'm busy-" she began to yell shrilly.

"I'm sorry, Bulma-san." It was Kakarrot, bowing his head in an almost subserviant fashion, so unlike the proud warrior he was whenever she happened to see him outside of the lab and throughout the Saiya-jin Compound. He was dressed in his typical Saiya-jin armor, his arms sleeveless and his legs clad in gray spandex. He had forgone the shoulder and crotch guards, she supposed that he found them cumbersome. He wore wrist bands in a forest green, and his boots matched, though they had the yellow steel-toed enforcements. His armor was in shades of black and white, again with the yellow steel reinforcements.

She looked down at herself, inwardly sighing. Her labcoat was stained by ink and coffee, her hair, which she hadn't gotten cut in nearly six months, was falling haphazardly out of her ponytail, and her sparse makeup hadn't been touched up since she'd put it on this morning. She probably looked a fright. She glanced back at the young Saiya-jin who straightened from his apologetic bow. "It's okay Kakarrot...I was just startled." she said gently.

He nodded, crossing his arms, unconsciously mimicking his father. "I'm here to learn of your technologic advances." he said suddenly, his nerves beginning to jitter as he gazed upon the Chikkyuu-jin woman. Though she looked work-weary and rumpled, he still found her to be very beautiful. There was just something about her porcelain complexion, her long aqua locks, and those deep ocean eyes of hers...

Bulma blinked at his abruptness, though she inwardly chided herself. She should be accustomed to Saiya-jins and their rude curtness by now. She had only dealt with them for over three fourths of her life! But she truly didn't mind too much. There was something both interesting and alluring about these humanoid aliens who had come in peace to Chikyuu warning of an intergalactic tyrant with evil intentions.

She grabbed her glasses from her desk, slipping them on with ease, and she shuffled about her papers. "Do you need me to type the report? Or just tell you so you can relay it back to Vegeta-Ou?" she queried as she studied her various new invention's schematics. She was in the middle of several different projects at the moment, and was always improving her old inventions, and so she always felt slighty frazzled. She now understood why her own father had always seemed so absent minded.

A slight twinge of pain fluttered in her breast at the thought. Her father...so smart, so honorable, so well-loved. She missed him dearly. So much sometimes that she would dissolve into tears when she knew she was alone and no one could be privy to her turbulent emotions. Bulma knew she should have hassled him more to quit smoking, but she hadn't out of respect for him. And so emphysema had slowly choked the life out him, though he had never lost that intellectual twinkle in his eyes, even in the last boughts of his suffering.

And with his death, the Capsule Corp Princess had been 'crowned' President. A massive responsibility that she hadn't been sure that she wanted, nor if she could handle. She had been barely eighteen at the time, and even now, two years later, she often felt overwhelmed. But her father had made a convenant with the Saiya-jin warriors that in turn for the Saiya-jin's protection once Freiza attacked, Capsule Corporation would continuously develop technology for the Saiya-jin cause.

"Just verbally tell me so I can give him the long and the short of it." Kakarrot replied, going to sit at the only other chair in her office, an over-stuffed recliner that had been an old staple in her father's office. It was worn and stained, but it still smelled like him, a combination of cigarette smoke, engine oil, and outdated after-shave.

Bulma sighed softly, rubbing her temples. "Well, the fighter-bots were one. How did you like them?" she regarded the young man curiously, noting that his shoulders had become more broad since she'd seen him last. He was really becoming quite handsome...and very much like his father, despite the lack of facial scars.

Kakarrot leaned back in the cushy chair, looking about the office, taking in the jam packed shelves of books and folders, the filing systems stuffed with papers, her messy desk. And pictures. Bulma kept framed pictures on her desk of her family, her parents, and special occasions they had shared together. And she had hung various portraits and posters on the wall, depicting scenes of nature, the lastest fashions, and various other effects.

"They were definitely faster than the last version." he answered finally, his gaze coming back to the aqua-haired genius before him. She was watching him intently, probably eager to hear feedback on her ever improving fighting-bots. He felt his skin heat under her intense gaze.

Bulma nodded eagerly. "What else?" she found a scrap of paper and began taking notes, turning to look back at Kakarrot every so often.

He seemed amused by her scientific flourish, and the corners of his mouth quirked upward. "Well...even though they're faster, they don't seem as durable as the last prototype...so maybe you could work on that?" he suggested carefully, knowing full well that this woman was much more intelligent than he and didn't usually take criticism very well.

Bulma furrowed her brow, her mind already whirling into equations and engineering. "I'll see what I can do." she answered, scrawling her thoughts and ideas onto the now not-so-blank scrap of paper.

Kakarrot nodded wordlessly, observing the Chikyuu-jin as she flipped through the papers on her desk. That stained lab coat she wore was not very flattering, and hid the enticing curves of her body he had gotten a glimpse of on occasion. He often thought of those concealed curves, usually while in bed before passing out into a well earned sleep. He wondered what it would be like to run his hands down her sides, following the hourglass-like lines...among other things.

He shifted slightly, hoping fervently that the pretty scientist would not notice his less than stellar thoughts. She was still writing, however, and hadn't looked over at him for some time. "I've made improvements to the gravity chamber," she announced as she read over her documents, "The controls will now be less sensitive to extreme levels of ki. And the gravity will be able to increase one hundred times more."

He nodded with approval. "I like that." he commented.

She gazed at him, a soft smile gracing her features. "I knew you would, Kakarrot." She began organizing her papers into piles, sorted by which invention they were, the most recent developments sitting at the top of the stack. "Also...this is still tentative...but..." she trailed off, looking at the warrior with a uncertain eyes.

He straightened, leaning towards her, his curiousity peaked. "What?"

She sighed softly, tucking another bothersome strand of hair away from her face. "Well...I think I can connect to the wavelength of Freiza's communications line...but I want to be absolutely certain that he won't be able to trace our line tap..." she chewed on her lip, a bad habit that she needed to stop, but whenever she was unsure she couldn't help herself.

Kakarrot remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. It was a risky endeavor, but then again, this small woman with negligible ki had always been ballsy... "Do not keep such information from our King...but I think you should develop this a little more before making an announcement." he finally said cautiously.

Bulma nodded, understanding Kakarrot completely. "I figured as much. But it would be nice to be able to contact the Prince and his leigemen...they have much to catch up on." she rationalized softly.

The Saiya-jin chuckled. "Ah, you haven't yet heard of my father's vision."

Bulma blinked and scowled. "What vision? Tell me!" she demanded temperedly.

Kakarrot chuckled once more. "My father has Seen that the Prince, my brother, and Nappa will actually be arriving on Chikyuu in a year's time. They believe that I have completed my purging mission and am waiting for someone to retrieve me. They wish to hide out on this planet and make me their ally in defeating Freiza." he informed the girl anticipatorily.

She smiled. "Oh, the fates have blessed us!" she exclaimed, jumping from her chair to engulf the warrior into a hug. He blushed, though she did not notice, and hestitantly wrapped his arms around her in return. "Finally, something is happening after all these years!"

He pulled away slightly, looking into the Mastertech's blue eyes. He studied her, feeling overwhelmed by strange emotion. He kept his features schooled, his dark gaze steady, so that she would not know what he was thinking. He smoothed her hair from her forehead. "It is good." he remarked softly.

Her expression fell, and she regarded Kakarrot in wonder. He had a strong musky scent about him, and she could feel his muscles rippling in his arms as he held her close. He really was becoming a man...

"Yes...it is..." she murmured, entranced. What could all of this mean? Kakarrot's deep gaze, the Prince imminent arrival...so many things to contemplate.

Kakarrot pulled away from her, revealing nothing. "I will tell Vegeta-sama of your accomplishments." he said curtly, leaving her office before she could reply. Bulma watched his retreat and sat in her belated father's favorite chair. What had just happened? And what was to come when Vegeta-ouji arrived in the next year? It seemed she indeed had much to contemplate...


	4. Vegeta's Arrival

AN: Thank you for your kind reviews, suscriptions, etc, everyone! I'm glad you are enjoying this tale of things loved and lost!

Long Way Home

BARDOCK SAT IN his bedchambers, secluded from others, as he meditated. He did so each day, sitting in the corner of his room that had been decorated in an oriental fashion, with a silk screen, tatami mats, lavish pillows. He found it better helped him to focus his mind when he sat in this ornate corner. It granted him some sort of prophetic peace that he could not always find in this otherwise hectic world of Chikyuu. Even now, after nearly fifteen years of reluctantly residing on this planet, there were still many things about Chikyuu that the Seer was unaccustomed to.

He sighed softly, sitting crossed-legged, closing his eyes as he focused his mind on his visions. Over the years he had learned to focus on visions that were signifcant, brushing aside ones that were of little importance. He strove to summon visions as well, instead of merely waiting for them to reach him. As of now, he was coaxing himself to 'See' when Vegeta-ouji, Nappa, and his son Radtiz would be arriving on Chikyuu.

It had been one year, two months, and sixteen days since he had envisioned their arrival. Thus far he had been patient, but his patience was proverbially wearing thin. He was not only eager to see his Prince return, but it had been far too many years since he had seen Raditz. He had missed his son far more than he was willing to admit. A small smile etched onto his lips when he thought of his progeny. Raditz and Kakarrot. Both boys had grown into strong men, men he was proud to claim as his flesh and blood.

Speaking of Kakarrot... Bardock's brows furrowed as he thought of his youngest. The boy obviously was harboring affections for the Mastertech, though she was four years his senior and quite honestly...she was Chikyuu-jin. Bardock would prefer that his son perhaps mate with a demi-Saiya-jin so that they could slow the watering down of their bloodline...

But such thoughts could wait for another time. He needed desperately to See when the Prince and his underlings would arrive. A vision, unwarranted, passed over his vision, and he Saw...

_Kakarrot had a grin on his face, something rare, for though he was emotional and sympathetic for a Saiya-jin warrior, he did well to hide his thoughts from others. "You are every bit fiesty in the bedroom as you are in the Gravity Room." he complimented cheekily to the woman who lay unclothed beside him. He was undressed as well, and it appeared that he had scatches and welts over his skin, likely the product of his coupling with this woman._

_Her hair was fair and unruly, and her tail, equally fair, curled around her lover's thigh. Bardock hoped to see her face, but it was currently buried in his son's neck. "I shall consider that a compliment, for it would be foolish of you to insult me in such a delicate state." the woman replied, nuzzling his neck. Her petite hand trailed over Kakarrot's broad chest lazily._

_His son shivered, pulling the woman closer. "I would gladly lay my life at your feet, yours to do with as you wished." he murmured hoarsely. His son's face was older, more chisled, and Bardock found it eerily akin to gazing into a mirror. Though Bardock was not sure he had ever worked his features into that of the expression of love sickness. In fact, it was rather unbecoming._

_The woman pulled away slightly, gazing into her lover's eyes, and Kakarrot's features were relaxed and drunk with love. "I would merely keep you by my side always, asking nothing of you but your heart." she replied, and Bardock knew that this would be the woman his son would come to wed._

Bardock snapped back to the present, blinking the cobwebs of the vision from his eyes. Though the vision was comforting, and yet disconcerting on a personal level, it would offer no one else any answers they desired. And Bardock had been trying to see when the Prince and his vassals would be arriving on Chikyuu, not who his son would eventually become mated to...though his thoughts had unknowingly taken a turn in that direction.

Bardock closed his eyes once more, concentrating this time solely on the young Prince and his liegemen. His vision blurred, warping into that strange sight that was his Vision...

_The quarters were lavish, elegant drapes on the windows, the bed large and very Western in the abundance of pillows and covers. The furniture was ornately carved, again an homage the Chikyuu-jin Westerners. The Prince was with a woman on his bed, his body above her own, pressing her into the plush mattress, though they were both fully clothed. _

_"Vegeta." the woman's voice was soft, breathy. And quite possibly arousing. The Prince gazed upon her, studying her features as if he may never see this woman again. Or perhaps she was so lovely he wanted to recall her countenance in his dreams. Whatever the reason, his ungloved fingers trailed over the woman's cheek, sweeping an aqua colored tress from her face._

_"Woman, you..." his voice was soft, almost uncertain. _

_She made no move to pull him closer, perhaps sensing his insecurities regarding anything of a sexual nature. She only watched the Prince, allowing him to gaze upon her, his fingertips questing over her face and hair. "Kiss me?" she finally questioned, her voice delicate and feminine. _

_His eyes gazed into her own, ebony mixing with aquamarine. He lowered his face to hers, his lips brushing over hers gently. She responded, her lips moving with his own. He made a small noise, something akin to a moan, and deepened the kiss. Her hands rose, brushing over his biceps gently. This woman knew exactly how to handle a man whose only sexual encounters in his short life had been those of violence._

_The Prince's lips moved over her face, and he rolled to the woman's side, pulling her into an embrace. "I'm...it is enough." he remarked softly into her hair, colorful in comparison to a Saiya-jin's. Though his features were schooled, as usual, Bardock could sense Vegeta's turbulent emotions. Fear, disgust, desire, affection, and more, all swirling in the depths of his consciousness. _

_She shifted, gazing upon the Prince's tanned, sculpted features. "Perhaps you'll let me please you?" she queried gently, her voice nurturing._

_Vegeta propped himself up onto his elbows, tense. "I...I'm not-"_

_She pressed a quick kiss to the Prince's lips, effectively silencing him, her hands slowly moving his loose tank top up, revealing his washboard abdominals. She rans her hands slowly, carefully over his stomach and she observed his muscles rippling in response. A devilish grin was wrought over her face. "I promise it will feel good." _

_Vegeta watched her, still tense, as she kissed, licked, and nipped her way over his chest and down his stomach. He did his best not to recall the so called 'intimacies' he had shared with unmentionable lizard, but even so...Bulma was gentle, slow, and maintained eye contact with him while she caressed him._

_She pulled at the drawstrings of his gi pants, kissing every newly exposed inch of skin. Vegeta watched her, half torn between arousal and fear, though arousal was winning this little war. How could it not, when this woman was so lovely, so gentle, so..._

_Her mouth captured his member, and his head tipped back as his hips thrust forward. Never before had he felt something like this, never before had he experienced this. A groan escaped his throat, this Chikyuu-jin's woman name following in a gasp as she took him entirely within that warm mouth of hers..._

Bardock grimaced as he willingly pulled himself from the vision. Why did all of his visions have to be of these younger people experiencing intimacies with one another? Especially his own son! He, as a father, never wanted to see his son's bedroom antics with a woman. And to be privy to those of his Prince and the Mastertech...wait.

The Prince was going to be involved with the Mastertech. Bulma, the Chikyuu-jin, the Mastertech...

What did this mean? Would it just be a fling? Or would the Prince make the Mastertech his moonbound bride? Yes, Bulma-san was beautiful, intelligent, and to be honest, Bardock found himself liking the woman. She was all around a loyal, dependable, and honest person. Someone who was worthy of a Saiya-jin's respect. The only problem would be that the future mother to the next king of the Saiya-jin...would be Chikyuu-jin. Which would make the offspring demi-Saiya-jin.

It wasn't necessarily a problem, for the demi-Saiya-jin whelps had already proved themselves strong. But would the Saiya-jin who had seen the days of glory on Vegeta-sei accept their next king after the younger Vegeta to be a demi-Saiya-jin? Although they had accepted change already over the past fifteen years. What harm could one more possibly cause?

Though Bardock knew he was getting ahead of himself. There was no guarantee that the Prince and the Mastertech would remain together. It could just be a flirtation or a dalliance on either of the duo's part. Only time would tell on this matter. Unless another vision enlightened him further on the matter.

The scarred warrior closed his eyes once more, focusing his mind on the task at hand. Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz...

_A calendar, flipping its pages furiously; a clock, its hands turning rapidly. Both objects slowed, settling on a date and a time. Three space pods rushing towards Chikyuu, unmistakably Saiya-jin. They landed in a location that Bardock was familiar with, as it was just outside of the city's vicinity._

Bardock opened his eyes. He had his answer.

KAKARROT FLEW ALONGSIDE Bulma's aircraft, slowing his speed so that she could keep up with her feeble technology. He knew better now than to make any remark regarding her invention's slowness, bulk, or anything remotely derogatory, for the Mastertech did not hesitate to fling insults from her poisonous tongue. And quite honestly, it wasn't that he had an aversion to her clever derisions, but that her tone was so shrill it hurt his highly tuned Saiya-jin senses. So it was better to leave such matters be.

"We're going to be several minutes early, according to my calculations!" Bulma yelled from the cockpit of her flying device, her hair whipping around furiously in the wind.

Kakarrot glanced sideways at her, though keeping their targeted terrain in sight. "So we wait?" he shouted back, knowing that she'd want some sort of answer from him to affirm that he had indeed heard her.

"Guess so!" she replied as she piloted her aircraft to begin its descent in the sky. He followed suit, keeping a close eye out for any space pods that could come crashing into earth. Although, apparently, his father had seen the exact date, time, and place of Vegeta-ouji's arrival.

Kakarrot sighed inwardly, for his father's visions were both a blessing and a curse. He would know of things Kakarrot would do wrong, even before he did them back when he was a child. And it wasn't any better now, for Bardock seemingly now knew who Kakarrot would be mated to, and had blatantly refused to divulge the information. Were most fathers this annyoing?

Though Kakarrot couldn't truly complain, for at the very least he had a father to be annoyed over. Many of his kinsmen and colleagues couldn't even do that much. Even Bulma had lost her father three years ago to some paltry human illness. It was very apparent that she still missed him greatly, and would still sometimes cry when she thought nobody was around. But Kakarrot had caught her several times, and knowing Bulma-san as a prideful creature, had not intruded on her greif. As with many things concerning Bulma, it was something also better left alone.

He sighed softly, for he not yet even attempted to make his affections known to the older woman, and instead was waiting for an opportune time to begin courting her. He was coming into manhood quite well, and had just recently matched his own father in height. He now had seventeen standard years, only four years shy of Bulma's twenty-one. Perhaps now could be a good time to make his intentions known. He was a strong, agile warrior. One who could keep Bulma safe and secure. And he was certain he could please her as a mate and husband.

Bulma landed her machinery and looked as if she were contemplating as to whether she should encapsulate it or not.

"Leave it. You might need it for whatever reason." Kakarrot told her nuetrally.

Bulma nodded and looked to the sky. She felt impatient over Vegeta and his entourage's arrival. She had over a year for this moment, and had been told of Vegeta-ouji for years prior. "I wonder what Prince Vegeta and his comrades will be like." she wondered aloud. And, indeed, she did. Three burly men who had only known of pain and violence for the past fifteen years were now arriving on Chikyuu and would discover that their time of excruciating suffering had all been a lie. Kami only knows what the could do to a person.

Kakarrot blinked at Bulma's open statment. "Well, Raditz is my brother, so I imagine he will be very much like my father. Vegeta-ouji will likely resemble Vegeta-ou. And Nappa...apparently he is a monster of a man with little else but fighting prowess." he answered matter-of-factly.

It was Bulma's turn to blink, and then she rolled her eyes at the younger Saiya-jin. "Oh, Kakarrot, you're so..." she trailed off, chuckling instead. He was so militaristic in his words and actions. She found it strangely endearing at times, though at others it upset her since he seemed unable to understand women and their emotions. But, then again, that was how most men seemed to be, Saiya-jin or Chikyuu-jin.

Kakarrot arched a brow at the Mastertech's antics, wondering just what he did or said to make her laugh at him so. His features softened, for it was nice to see her laugh and smile. She seldom did, always focused on work or her duties. And when she wasn't consumed with her company and alliance with the Saiya-jin, Kakarrot suspected she was very lonely. "Bulma-san..."

She had ceased her laughing and looked at him with a straight face. "Yes, Kakarrot?" she wiped away her tears, the product of her earlier amusement.

"I..." he stepped closer to her, towering over her petite frame. He had dressed in Saiya-jin armor, for he did not want to appear unseemly in front of the Prince. She was dressed in the Chikyuu-jin fashion, wearing a Capsule Corporation shirt which was snug over her breasts and a pair of 'jeans'. She had worn boots so that she could run with ease to where the space pods would land and had left her hair unbound, which was in a disarray from the flight over.

Bulma gazed up into his eyes, losing herself in their dark orbs. "Kakarrot...?" she breathed his name, for this moment had occured before; where he would look upon her with intensity, as if deciding whether he would say something, only to pull away without any resolution. She didn't know what to think of these moments.

His hand rose, his fingers brushing over her cheek, and to his calloused warrior's hands, her skin was softer than silk. He didn't dare think of what the rest of her could feel like, for now was not the time. Also, spandex tended to reveal embarrassing 'situations'. His hands trailed from her face to her neck, and his fingers were long enough to wrap around it twice over. So delicate...

Bulma stood still and silent, unafraid, even as this giant of a man nearly wrapped his hands around her throat. She knew he was merely studying her, comparing their similarities and differences, feeling the textures of her skin. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to this Saiya-jin's inspection. Kakarrot had always, and would always, keep her safe from harm. There was nothing to fear.

"So soft." he finally remarked, his words barely above a whisper. But Bulma's rudimetary human hearing caught the words, and her eyes opened. She found herself lost in Kakarrot's gaze. He was just so...intense. Deep. Moreso than she ever gave him credit for.

Her hands rose as well, and she reached for his face, cupping his cheeks like an adoring mother would her child. "Kakarrot." This man-child...more man now than child, to be frank; he was so alluring, so strange, so exotic... When had he grown into such a masculine display of Saiya-jin?

He leaned in, his face mere inches from her own, their breath mingling together. But sadly his lips did not touch her own, for a loud crash that could be nothing other than a Saiya-jin pod hitting the earth resounded, startling the local fauna. Bulma and Kakarrot whipped their heads around to witness the other two pods crashing near the first.

"They're here!" Bulma cried, running off to the pods landing site, forgetting entirely about the near-kiss she had almost shared with Kakarrot in her excitement to meet the Prince and his colleagues.

Kakarrot sighed heavily. He had been this close to kissing Bulma-san...only to be interrupted by the very reason they were there in the first place. Oh well, perhaps later. He took off running, following the blue-haired Chikyuu-jin, hoping that Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz would be peaceful once they learned the truth of the Saiya-jin race.

Bulma stood, fascinated, as the pods opened and three obviously Saiya-jin men stepped up out of them. Each one seemed stiff and they each stretched, working out the kinks of traveling. One man was impossibly tall, bald, and had a mustache. Another was the medium height of the three, with a widow's peak and possessed an extremely long mane of Saiya-jin textured hair. The shortest of the three was, without a doubt, Prince Vegeta, for he had the same firey hairstyle that his sire had.

Kakarrot paused a few steps beside her, watching wordlessly. Bulma gazed at him, noting that he had donned his scouter and Bulma followed suit. It would be best to read their power levels and it might set the three travelers at ease, if only marginally. The three men levitated from the crater their pods had created, looking amongst one another to see if all was well, and seeing that it was, turned their attention on the terrain.

"Seems as though your weakling of a brother failed on his mission." the tallest, Nappa, remarked loudly enough for his comrades to hear.

Raditz made a scoffing noise. "The flora and fauna have had time to regrow in the past seventeen years." And though he failed to include an insult, it was apparent in his voice what he thought of Nappa's statement.

"Men, if you would stop bickering, perhaps you would notice our guests." Vegeta commented irritably. The two guards ceased their verbal fire for the moment and looked around, honing in on Kakarrot and Bulma. Bulma offered a meek wave, and Kakarrot tilted his head as a way of greeting. The three soldiers levitated to where the lone Saiya-jin and the Chikyuu-jin stood and appraised them for a moment or two.

Kakarrot kneeled before Vegeta, not looking to see if Bulma would do the same or not, and spoke, "Greetings Vegeta-ouji, Nappa, Raditz. I am Kakarrot, son of Bardock, brother of Raditz."

Vegeta blinked, watching the apparent brother of Radtiz kneeling with respect. The woman, strangely dressed and even stranger in her coloring, remained standing. He wrote it off as alien rudeness and left it at that. Though she was alarmingly lovely. "Stand, Kakarrot. You are the very man we have come to this backwater planet to see."

Kakarrot hurriedly stood, not one to disobey the royalty of his people. He gazed upon his Prince, his brother, and his fellow Saiya-jin Nappa. This was a moment that was likely to be recorded in Saiya-in history, and he was a part of it. "Yes, Sire. I am aware that I have failed in my infant purge, but my colleague Bulma-san and I have much to share with you in your absence."

A snicker escaped from Nappa and Raditz scowled in response, but said nothing.

Vegeta fought the urge to roll his eyes at his underlings' immaturity; now was certainly not the time for such foolishness. "It is probably better that you did not purge this planet, as it now has every resourse available to us. You will not be punished for your failure, Kakarrot. As it is, you are the last of our species, and Saiya-jin blood is a precious comodity."

Kakarrot shifted uncomfortably. How on earth did one go about shattering another person's very being and world? He supposed tact would be the best policy, that along with honesty. "Sire, forgive me, for I have some...news, to share with you and your vassals."

Vegeta arched a brow. "Do tell, Kakarrot."

Raditz and Nappa shared glances, their disdain for one another momentarily forgotten in lieu of Kakarrot's seemingly important news. Both knew that whatever Kakarrot had to say couldn't be good. "Speak, peasant." Nappa barked roughly.

Kakarrot, ignoring Nappa's uncouth order, focused solely on the Prince. "My father, Bardock, completed a purge on Kanassa-sei over fifteen years ago."

"The soothsayers?" Raditz questioned aloud, forgetting his place. Kakarrot nodded mutely, his eyes meeting that of his long-lost brother. Radtiz felt a pull of kinship towards this young man that resembled their father so closely. "I remember that mission. He returned, alive and well." Raditz voiced was laced with sadness at the mention of the belated father he had fought alongside and purged with.

Kakarrot nodded once more. "Yes, but one of the Kanassa-jin that he felled blessed him with the gift of Sight. So that he may see the destruction of his own race." he informed them.

Nappa scowled. "You low-born whelp! Do you really expect the Prince to believe such crock?" he thundered angrily. How dare Bardock's weakling of a son spout such nonsense!

Vegeta raised a hand to silence his guardian. "Nappa, let the man speak before I decide to kill you for your insolence." Though he had never before met the second son of Bardock, he felt a trust in him. This young man would never tell him lies, and would loyally serve the royal house until his death. The Chikyuu-jin woman also seemed dependable. Her beauty was too distracting though.

The boy began with his tale once more, his voice calm and level. "Upon receiving the gift of Sight, Bardock did indeed experience visions regarding Vegeta-sei's destruction. He Saw that Freiza was behind this horrible act." he ignored Vegeta's flinch at the monster's name, and continued, "The tyrant feared the Saiya-jins. He feared our power, of what we could become. And he feared that he would be unable to reign us in. Hence, he planned to detonate the entire planet and all of its peoples with his own ki."

Vegeta grit his teeth. "He told us that a meteor shower destroyed Vegeta-sei and its people!" his voice trembled with rage, to know that his people suffered such unhonorable death.

Kakarrot pressed his lips firmly together, unable to remark on Freiza's blatant lie. "My father rushed to King Vegeta's side to tell him of the harm that would befall Vegeta-sei. King Vegeta was in the midst of planning a resuce mission for you, his son, who was in Freiza's custody due to treaty agreements. Bardock Saw, however, that if the king attempted to rescue you, he would fall to Freiza's hand in the skirmish and Vegeta-sei would promptly be destroyed." the youngest of the Saiya-jin bit his lip, instinctively knowing that the men wouldn't like what they heard next.

Still, he continued. "Bardock managed to convince the King to evacuate as many people as he could before Freiza came to annihilate them. The King protested, claiming he couldn't leave his son in the clutches of the Changling. But, Bardock Saw that if we left you in Freiza's control, Nappa and Raditz would be with you, and the three of you would prevail. He foresaw that the three of you would reunite with us. He did not know at the time how this would come to pass, but he knew it all the same."

Vegeta had visbily paled as Kakarrot narrated the tale. His blood ran cold, but he said and did nothing, waiting patiently for the boy to finish. This couldn't be...

"So the King and my father evacuated a little under five thousand Saiya-jin before Freiza destroyed the planet. Freiza had no idea that any Saiya-jin escaped at all, and believed King Vegeta and the others to be dead, along with the rest of Vegeta-sei. The evacuated Saiya-jin retreated to Chikyuu-sei. Bardock rationalized that I had been sent here, and would have purged the planet for them by the time they arrived. The planet was far enough from Freiza's control that we would not be easily found, and Vegeta-sei had been destroyed before the record of my infant purge had been sent to Freiza's database."

The three warriors were silent, each pale and shocked to the core.

"So," Bulma began hesitantly, "The Saiya-jin arrived on Chikyuu-sei to find that Kakarrot had failed in his infant purge. Bardock took Kakarrot under his wing, and the Saiya-jin made a treaty with the Chikyuu-jin that in exchange for their real estate and technology, the Saiya-jin would offer their hard labor and protection when it came time to fight Freiza's legions. And so we have been preparing for the past fifteen years for both your arrival and an all out war with Freiza." she swallowed nervously, for the emn had remained silent, each struck with their own disbelief.

Nappa and Raditz had become still and pale, but Vegeta was trembling. Bulma saw his power level, which had been steadily rising since the story began, skyrocket to unimaginable levels. He threw his head back, a roar akin to that of a beast's escaping from his throat. And as quickly as he had screamed with outrage, the Prince took off, flying away before anyone could try to stop him.

Bulma felt herself fortunate that he had not detonated the planet or killed her there on the spot.


	5. Inexplicable Gravitation

AN: Hey peeps! Little sidetrack here... I got a review asking about Piccolo from Omnipotent Porunga. Now, I've thought about my alternate universe here a lot. I thought about Goku's childhood adventures involving Pilaf, the Red Ribbon Army, and the like. Now, since our lovely Saiya-jin arrived on Earth when Goku (Kakarrot) was only a year old, Goku never got to have the childhood hunt for the Dragonballs or spend time with his Grandpa Gohan or anything of the sort because Bardock reclaimed his son.

Piccolo came to be because Pilaf released Kami's dark side, Piccolo Daimoa, to aide him in his dark ambitions. Goku killed Piccolo Daimoa, but not before he hatched the baby Piccolo we all know and love today. So, first and foremost, the Saiya-jin made a treaty with the Humans that in order to cohabitate with them on Earth, they would offer their protection from any harm. So, essentially, Earth hasn't had any wars since the Saiya-jin have arrived. Earth is focusing its efforts on preparing for the galactic battle that will be at hand.

So, if Pilaf did attempt to become Emperor of the planet, the Saiya-jins would have bitch-slapped him back down, and probably killed him. So, my guess is that Pilaf, and even the Red Ribbon Army, haven't ever had the chance to cause trouble. So Piccolo Daimoa is probably still sealed in a jar somewhere and Kami is keeping his shiz on the down low. But there is a possibility he can always be set free...hmm...

So...Bulma hasn't even yet found one of Dragonballs in her father's cellar, and I in fact killed off Dr. Breifs by means of emphysema. He was seen constantly smoking in the show, and that just goes to show you guys how bad smoking is for you! I just quit...is anyone proud of me? ...no? Okay then. Anyhow, I did kill off Dr. Breifs, and Bulma has been raised devoting her life to technology and science and the Saiya-jin cause, so she doesn't really have that carefree girlish attitude she had when we saw her in Dragonball series.

Anyhow, big questions I'm raising here are the following:

A) Am I going to bring Piccolo into the mix?

B) Are the Dragonballs going to be a part of the story?

To be honest, contemplate that. Wonder, if you will, what crazy schemes I will include in my tales of valor and strength. And, as always, please enjoy Long Way Home, review, and have an awesome day!

And ages are, since a year has passed, the following: Vegeta 22, Bulma 21, Kakarrot 17, and the demi-Saiya-jin that have been in previous chapters are mostly 15 at this point. I also kind of estimated Radtiz to be about ten years older than Vegeta, so I'm going to say he's 32, for sake of literary license.

But, I am trying to follow DBZ facts as closely as possible. I'm getting all of my resources from MY FAVORITE GAMES DOT COM. Check it out!

Long Way Home

"SHOULD WE GO after him?" Bulma questioned anxiously, her brow furrowed with worry as she watched the Prince hurtle off into the distance. She tensed, as if ready to snap into action the moment Kakarrot bade her leave. Vegeta's obvious outrage and extreme reaction simply could not be ignored.

Kakarrot grabbed the heiress's shoulder, effectively stilling her. "No. Let him be." he advised her gently. He too, was concerned for Vegeta and his welfare, mental and physical. Though this was the first time he had met the Prince, he felt a strange pull towards the man. As if he and Vegeta-ouji had perhaps been comrades in another life and the friendship had carried over into this one. But, still, a man needed and deserved his privacy, and now was one of those times where such privacy could not be invaded.

Nappa and Raditz remained silent, probably surprised at their Prince's reaction to the horrible, and yet, wonderful news. And, it was likely they were in shock themselves from the turn of events. Neither had expected any of this. But, then again, who would?

Bulma bit her lip, fighting the urge to protest against Kakarrot's mandate. She had her aircar and a scouter; she could, by all means, go and find Vegeta. "He needs somebody." she finally said softly. Perhaps she was being overly maternal, but going after Vegeta felt like the right thing to do. Her cerulean eyes pierced Kakarrot's own obsidian and he softened.

"He doesn't know you, Bulma-san. It is very likely he will ignore your advances, or even possibly injure or kill you." he told the older woman solemly. Though he did doubt that the sovereign would truly harm her, there was always a possibility...one Kakarrot did not want to explore the outcome of.

Raditz stepped forward, gaining Bulma and Kakarrot's attention. "I have never seen the Prince in such a state before. Kakarrot is right, there is no telling what he would do if you were to confront him." the warrior confirmed faintly. He loved his Prince deeply, worried for him greatly, and wished fervently that perhaps this was all some sort of nightmare from which he was about to wake.

Kakarrot's eyes met those of his brother's and they shared a nod. "It is best to return to our base for the time being. King Vegeta will want to meet you both, as would Bardock. And we must breif you on our operation and the like."

"But, Vegeta-"

"He will be able to locate us with his scouter, or contact our scouters. He will find us." Nappa gruffly informed Bulma, his disdain for her weakness apparent on his face.

Bulma heaved a sigh, jumping into her aircar so that they could leave for the Capsule Corp base. The three Saiya-jin jumped into the air and she wordlessly followed them. Though Vegeta and his greif weighed heavily on her mind, now was not the time to run after him. She stared ahead, the three warriors in her line of vision. A sudden, sly smirk twisted her lips. Yes. Now was not the time to run after him. But...Kakarrot would be busy getting Raditz and Nappa up to snuff on the Saiya-jins' doings...and thus would not be able to keep an eye on her.

She quickly plotted which of Capsule Corporation's methods of transportation would be both discreet and quick.

VEGETA FLEW RECKLESSLY towards a destination unknown. He couldn't think logically, he couldn't breathe steadily, he couldn't feel anything but his own heart furiously pumping hot magma through his veins.

His whole life had been one great big farce. A lie. Pointless, meaningless events of suffering melding together into one vague, repeating moment: Freiza, standing above him, his crimson eyes alight with vindictive pleasure in Vegeta's pain. Clawing, tearing, burning...a pain that he had felt like no other, a shame deeper even more than the physical extremity of it all. His sibilant voice mocking him, his father, his people.

Vegeta fought back. He always did. Each time Freiza sunk his proverbial claws into Vegeta's smaller frame, he would snarl, claw, bite, hiss, do whatever he could to fight the overpowering lizard, if only verbally or mentally. Though his attempts were feeble at best in comparison to the Changling's awesome strength, Vegeta always fought him.

And each time afterward, injured and in a pool of his own sweat and blood, he fought the mental strain that came with Freiza's physical, sexual abuse. The trembling, the nausea, the panic; Vegeta fought that too.

He had fought his whole life, it seemed. He purged, fighting the inhabitants of the planets on his list of galatic conquerings. Those faceless victims, fighting him in return, desperate to save their doomed planet and people. He fought to maintain his own honor and pride. He fought to keep himself and his two vassals, Nappa and Raditz, safe from as much harm as possible. He fought that ivory tyrant everytime he gave Vegeta an order he didn't like, everytime he forced Vegeta to his bed for his own sick, sadistic pleasure. He fought the obvious signs of post traumatic stress that occured each time Freiza mercilessly raped and tortured him. He fought the nightmares, the incessant need to curl into a fetal position and cease to be.

And it was for nothing. The past fifteen years of suffering and pain had all been for nothing. The constant ache of knowing your homeworld and people were all but dust to be scattered throughout the galaxy had been, for the most part, unnecessary and untrue.

His father was alive. A small portion of his people had been evacuated. They had resided on this backwater planet named 'Chikyuu' for the better part of fifteen years, hiding like cowards in wait for the storm to hit instead of rescuing Nappa, Raditz, and himself from their unfortunate fates.

Vegeta's fist clenched so tightly that his nails drew blood from his palms, piercing the material of the white gloves he always wore. His father had neglected to rescue him. He had left him alone to rot in Freiza's possession. He had abandoned him.

Vegeta knew that his father had loved him when he was a child. He recalled the breakfasts and dinners he had shared with his father where the elder Vegeta had inquired what his plans would be for the day, how his day had gone, or what he had learned. He even recalled the odd nights where, in his sleep, he would sense a presence. He would open his eyes only too see his father sitting on the edge of his bed, watching over him as the Gods of War might watch over soldiers on the battlefield.

But clearly his father had not loved him enough to rescue him. To try to get him back. Vegeta was the Crown Prince, necessary for the Saiya-jin Empire to flourish. Why did Vegeta-ou abandon him? Wasn't he, the younger, worth something? To the Empire? To his own father?

Never before had Vegeta felt so unneeded, unloved, unwanted. He had not even known he could feel such a way. Nor should he care to feel this way. It was un-Saiya-jin, unseemly, and unnecessary. But he felt it all the same. It was a deep ache, an acute physical pain, deep within his breast. Wetness touched his cheeks, and Vegeta pressed his gloved, bloodied fingers to the source of liquid.

He was crying.

Never before had he cried over anything else. Not when he'd been beaten by Freiza's lackeys who found amusement in his shame and indignant anger. Not when it had been announced that Vegeta-sei had met its demise due to a meteor storm. Not when Freiza calculatingly and cruelly took his young body for his own pleasure and delight. No, one of the things Vegeta had prided himself on was that no one could ever make him cry or invoke such emotion. No one was worth that much.

But now...his own father's thoughtless dereliction, as if the Crown Prince meant nothing more than a bargaining chip for treaties, this had made him cry. He wiped angrily at the hot marks of shame that trailed down his chisled face and dripped off his chin, wetting the ground at his feet. He looked around, wondering when exactly he had touched down on the earth once more. In his swirling emotions, he had forgotten his own physical presence, and had failed to realize he had landed from his flight.

He was on a beach, the sand giving way to his feet with each step he took. Palm trees swayed from the breeze that came from the ocean. The waves crashed upon the shore, a sound both soothing and tormenting. Vegeta heaved a tremulous sigh, collapsing to his knees, his fingers fisting in his upswept hair. Why? Why had his father forsaken him? Why had he suffered so needlessly for nearly two decades?

And now, here he was, upon the land of the planet that Kakarrot was supposed to have purged. That was what Vegeta had expected upon his arrival on Chikyuu. A planet, devoid of life, save for one Saiya-jin and whatever wildlife had prevailed in Kakarrot's infant purge. But instead, Chikyuu was teeming with life; that of Chikyyu-jin, and, unexpectedly, Saiya-jin.

The very people that Vegeta had thought were long dead, and that Raditz, Nappa, Kakarrot, and himself were the sole survivors of. It was, in a warped way, a dream come true that his people, his father especially, were alive and as well as could be in the sitatuion as it were. But, because they were alive, it had also wrought a deep wound that Vegeta felt physically in addition to mentally. They had continued on without him, leaving him to the whims of his cruel master.

How very ironic. Vegeta wiped at the remaining tears that had begun to dry on his face. His whole life was nothing but irony, it seemed. The mission that had been at hand was now null and void. Why bother to retrieve Kakarrot from Chikyuu and plan to defeat Freiza? It was quite possible that Vegeta could remain on Chikyuu for many years to come without Freiza ever posing a threat. The tyrannical lizard probably believed that Nappa, Raditz, and himself had perished on a purging mission, since they had staged it to appear that way. And if Freiza believed his favorite pet to be dead, then he would never bother to look for him. Vegeta could, in all probability, live out the rest of his life on Chikyuu peacefully, cohabitating with the humanoid, though oddly colored, Chikyuu-jin.

But, no. Such a life was not for him. Not after all he had lived through. Vegeta would not allow all of his suffering to be for naught. He would train, here on Chikyuu-sei, and not rest until he had done the impossible: He would become the legendary Super Saiya-jin, as was his birthright. He would toil tirelessly until he achieved his goals. And once he did, he would seek out Freiza and kill him for every injustice he had made Vegeta suffer. He would kill Freiza for destroying his homeplanet, his birthright, his pride, his childhood, his sense of self, his everything.

Revenge was his new purpose. Everything else be damned.

"WHEN THE SAIYA-JIN arrived on Chikyuu-sei, they landed here, in Japan. Not far, actually, from where your space pods landed today." Kakarrot informed Nappa and Raditz as they landed at the Capsule Corporation compound. Bulma capsulized her aircraft and followed them silently. Kakarrot quickly typed a code into the panel at the entrance and the door opened. "We were immediately contacted by Breifs-san, the man who owned and ran the company Capsule Corporation. He also was Bulma-san's father. He, in turn, put us in contact with the the King of the Earth. We ran negotiations for several days, and a treaty was drawn up. We, the Saiya-jins, could gain Chikyuu-sei's citizenship and cohabitate with Chikyuu-jins if we contriuted to Earth's society and offered our protection. They, in turn, would offer their resources and technology for our means regarding Freiza and the war the was bound to come to Chikyuu."

Nappa snorted, drawing attention from both Raditz and Kakarrot. "Why didn't we just conquer them instead? These Chikyuu-jin sound weak and would not put up much of a fight from our warriors." he argued derisively. Bulma scowled at the tall man's remark, but held her tongue. She did not know what he was capable of, and he was too large for her to be comfortable around.

The younger son of Bardock sighed softly. "Since I had not completed my infant purge, the Chikyuu-jin knew nothing of the Saiya-jin race or the galactic warfare that was at hand. Bardock and Vegeta-ou decided it would be better to come in peace and offer our protection instead of dominating and conquering the Chikyuu-jin. This way, they would willingly give every effort for our cause and gain something in turn. An alliance yeilds more prospects than servitude does." he explained to the brute carefully.

Nappa snorted once more, obviously scoffing at the idea of peaceful Saiya-jin. Quite frankly, he viewed it as an embarrassment. Raditz remained silent, deciding it was better not to argue with the hard-head about the issue. Kakarrot led them through the various passageways, deep into the center of the compound, and continued with his monologue.

"Saiya-jins were stationed throughout the various countries of Earth, each station becoming a base of sorts, where the Saiya-jin could live, train, and carry on their daily duties. Ours is the largest station, settled here in Japan and working closely with Capsule Corporation for war technology and advances."

They approached another door, and Kakarrot quickly typed in a code, allowing them entry. Raditz and Nappa's jaws dropped when they saw Saiya-jin milling about, heading to and from the mess halls, the training rooms, the barracks, the medical center, and various other rooms with various other purposes. It was, literally, an exact copy of how their society had been built back on Vegeta-sei.

"Before the destruction of Vegeta-sei, King Vegeta managed to evacuate a little under five thousand warriors. Less than half of them happened to be women, and of those women, many were older, battle scarred warriors who had their child-rearing years far behind them. Afraid of our people's imminent end, King Vegeta bade his soldiers leave to bed Chikyuu-jin women if they wished. At the time, he was not sure if procreation was even possible. However, nine months hence, we had proof that a Chikyuu-jin could have a viable pregnancy by a Saiya-jin and that the babe born was alert and healthy. As of late, the eldest of the demi-Saiya-jin are coming of age and have proved themselves both strong and clever."

Raditz arched a brow. Never before had there been a child born of less than full Saiya-jin blood among their people. Although raping was not common when Saiya-jin purged planets and enslaved the people, it did occur, and any half-breeds that had resulted were always put down for means of racial purity. Ou-sama had much gall to not only allow half-breeds to live, but make it permissable for them to come about in the first place.

Although, Kakarrot had claimed the half-breeds were strong and not an embarrassment to their fore-fathers, so in the end, it was not likely to matter so much. Strength and power was what mattered the most, and they would need it once the time to wage war with Freiza came.

Nappa, however, was becoming more and more displeased with the turns of events here on Chikyuu-sei. He kept his mouth shut, however, figuring he could list his grievances with King Vegeta when he saw him once more, for the first time in over fifteen years.

Bulma cleared her throat, momentarily distracting the men from their conversation. "If you excuse me, Nappa-san, Raditz-san, Kakarrot. There is work to be done in the laboratory and I must tend to it. I bid you adieu, and hope to see you soon." she bowed slightly, turning and leaving the men standing in the congested hall of the compound.

Kakarrot schooled his features so that Nappa and Raditz would not see a faint smile on his lips. "If you will, please follow me to King Vegeta's personal chambers. He is eager to meet with you." he led the men to the aformetnioned location, knocking politely on Vegeta-ou's door.

"You may enter." the King responded, his voice muffled from behind the door.

Kakarrot opened the door, one of the few that was not electronically activated, and bowed deeply. "Ou-sama, I come before you with Nappa-san and Raditz-san, the guardians of Prince Vegeta." he rose from his bow, taking note the his father was at King Vegeta's side, paperwork laid on the desk before them. Bardock and Raditz shared a look of fond greeting discreetly.

Vegeta took note of the two soldiers that stood at attention before him, each rising from his individual bow and a low, respectful utterance of their Leige's name. "Where is my son?" he questioned forwardly.

Kakarrot, having known the King personally since his infancy, remained calm. "My Lord, when Bulma-san and I informed him of the Saiya-jin's actions, he reacted adversely and flew off."

Vegeta growled softly, he was severely dissappointed. He had been eager to see his son once more. It had been too long, and truth be told he had missed him dearly. "And you did not go after him?" he queried harshly.

Raditz stepped forward, finding it strange that he was so quick to jump to his brother's defense. "Forgive me, Your Eminence, but Nappa and I thought it best to allow the Prince his time alone. This news came as a shock to him, and there was no telling how he could have reacted had we gone after him." he intoned carefully.

Vegeta scowled. "If he does not return by this evening, I want you to go accompany Kakarrot in locating him."

The three men bowed deeply. "Yes, My Leige."

"Now, sit. Brief me on your years of servitude to that white demon." They obliged, sitting and telling the King of their tales and experiences.

BULMA ENTERED HER lab briskly, grabbing the essential items she knew she'd need and left just as quickly. None of her techs questioned her, for she was prone to unpredictable and, oftentimes, odd behavior. She left the compound from her own private living quarters, which had been sectioned off from the Saiya-jin side for both her privacy and safety. The Mastertech decapsulized one of her more discreet aircrafts, starting it up and taking off. The compound quickly became a pin-point from an aerial view, and she smirked to herself. Nobody could tell Bulma Breifs what she could and could not do!

She fixed her scouter over her ear and turned it on. It had recorded Vegeta's ki signature, and his power level when his emotions had erupted. She verbally commanded it to locate the Prince, and she saw that he had not gotten too far. She wasn't surprised, for the young Prince had been far too emotionally distraught to really make any ground.

She sped to his location, making sure to set her scouter on tracking mode in case the Prince decided to move. As she flew she thought back the that afternoon when she and Kakarrot had wated impatiently for the trio's arrival. He had become intense, almost like the hero of a romance novel, if she did say so herself. And for a heartbeat, she thought he was going to kiss her.

Did that mean that the younger man liked her? Or was it some sort of Saiya-jin 'heat of the moment' type of thing? There had been times when she had suspected Kakarrot of harboring a crush, but he had never acted on it and Bulma figured maybe she was just becoming narcissistic or something.

Oh, damn that Saiya-jin! There was just no telling, and she supposed she would have to confront Kakarrot once she returned to base with Vegeta in tow. Speaking of which, her scouter beeped to tell her that the Prince was within a mile radius. An island loomed ahead, and Bulma descended. She landed her vehicle on the shore, capsulizing it quickly. Her scouter indicated Vegeta was half a mile away and she began trekking up the beach to the sanctuary of the palm trees.

He must have sensed her even before she saw him, for he materialized in front of her, his expression grim. Bulma hid her surprise and looked upon the Prince of all Saiya-jin, not certain of what to say now that he was before her.

"You're the woman who accompanied Kakarrot today." he spoke, his voice like gravel.

She nodded. "My name is Bulma."

He took a step closer, inspecting her, and she remained still, though she watched him carefully. Perhaps this had not been a good idea after all...

"Bulma of Chikyuu." his voice was half sneer, half melodic. He reached out, taking a lock of her aquamarine hair in his gloved hand. "Are all of you Chikyuu-jin so strangely colored?" he raised the lock, taking a cursory smell of the strands he grasped.

A smile touched Bulma's lips. "Well, sometimes. We're very diverse here on Chikyuu-sei, I suppose." she answered indulgently.

He nodded, and she studied him in turn. He was handsome, and actually resembled his father quite closely, save for his shorter stature and lack of facial hair. He was young, close to her age probably, and he had the air of royalty about him. His widow's peak and upswept hair made him several inches taller than her, but they were just about the same height regardless.

"I know things are not as you expected them to be." she said conversationally, feeling strangely affected by this foreign Prince.

The Prince scowled, dropping her locks, looking away from her. "Did they send you to retreive me?" he questioned sullenly.

The Capsule Corp heiress shook her head. "Do you honestly think they'd send one woman to retrieve you? I can't make you do anything that you don't want to." Bulma chuckled at the mere thought of even attempting such a feat.

Vegeta remained silent for a moment, and he gazed upon her, his deep onyx eyes boring into hers. "I suppose not." he removed his bloodied gloves, dropping them carelessly. His hands, as tanned as his face, touched her hair once more. His brows furrowed as he took in the texture. So unusual. "Why did you come here?" his fingers combed through her hair, much like a child would curiously stroke an animal; a new, unaccustomed sensation to be explored.

"I don't know." she murmured, lost in the Prince's eyes. There was just something about him. something intriguing. Alluring. Inexplicable. He arched a brow in query, and she grinned wryly. "I guess I just wanted to be here. Maybe you need a friend."

"A friend." he repeated, as if turning the word over in his head. As if it were a strange concept, an unheard of anomaly. She nodded and his features contorted with emotion. "I have no use for such paltry-"

She pressed her fingers, petite and dainty in comparison to his, to his strangely soft lips. "It's not for my personal gain. I'm already involved as it is with the Saiya-jins and their cause. I'm offering it for your own gain." she could feel his breath, warm and even, on her fingertips. Bulma fought a shiver.

Vegeta's hands captured hers, removing her fingers from his lips so that he could speak. "I neither decline nor accept." he said slowly, as if he were still pondering his answer even as he spoke.

She smiled, unaware that it dazzled him momentarily. Unaware that he had never truly had an interaction with a woman who wasn't on a planet he was in the midst of purging. Unaware that he was so affected by her, for he hid it well. "That's okay. You don't have to decide now."

He gazed upon her porcelain skin, her oval-shaped face, her delicate nose. This woman...he felt a pull towards her, but felt an aversion at the same time. If he allowed her to be his 'friend', what would become of it? Would she seek to undo him from his heart outward? He feared the type of man he'd become, should he allow himself to fall victim to this woman's wiles. Or was she truly just extending her genuine friendship?

She had been raised on this seemingly peacefully backwater planet. Such things as rape, bloodshed, and suffering were something she knew nothing of, most likely. And if she did, she hid it well.

"Well, the sun is setting, and it's getting cold. Do you want to ride with me in my aircraft?" Bulma inquired gently.

He numbly nodded, following her back to the shore, watching her frame, still clad in jeans and a Capsule Corp shirt, walking in front of him. She decapsulized her vehicle, climbing in with ease. He followed her example, sitting beside her in the strangely designed vessel, and they flew in silence back to Capsule Corporation.


	6. Briefing and Sparring

AN: I'm glad you all feel I'm portraying the characters in a realistic, believable manner. Hopefully you all will enjoy the upcoming tales of valor and strength. Read, review, let me know what you think! Best Path! :)

Long Way Home

"NOW, SIT. BREIF me on your years of servitude to that white demon." Vegeta-ou's voice was as commanding and strong as Raditz remembered it to be from years long past. And the King's appearance was still that of youth and tenacity, though over fifteen years had passed and they had been neither painless nor forgiving.

He sat in one of the chairs that sat before the immense wooden desk, noting that Nappa did the same. Bardock remained standing at Vegeta's right, and Raditz wondered exactly what his father's new position was in this make-shift court on Chikyuu. Obviously the King trusted Bardock unfalteringly for him to remain present for such important affairs.

His brother, Kakarrot, remained standing dutifully before the office doors, as if to make sure none entered or even paused to listen to the meeting being conducted. Raditz observed his brother curiously; for he had never seen him, even as a babe, for he had been accompanying Prince Vegeta around the time Kakarrot had been born and their natal planet destroyed. The boy mirrored their father exactly, save for the scar that graced Bardock's face. Raditz wondered if the boy had even a fraction of the merit their father did. Time would tell regarding this issue, the warrior supposed.

"There is not much to tell, Vegeta-sama. We were mercenaries for Freiza, purging planets for sale and enslaving races to serve his empire. Vegeta-ouji led us wisely and safely." Nappa's booming voice answered respectfully.

Raditz nodded in agreement. "We did not see too much of Freiza, since we were off-base more often than not and didn't have the opportunity to discover his weaknesses, nor hear of his more intricate galactic plans." he added.

"I see." Vegeta-sama leaned back in his chair, stroking his goatee thoughtfully. He had hoped that perhaps Nappa and Raditz could offer insight regarding Freiza, but it seemed they were just as misled and deceived by that chilling monster as he himself had been. He would, as always, continue to rely on Bardock's Sight.

Raditz watched the King carefully. "Sire, I apologize for not being of greater assistance to you." he finally voiced aloud. He felt as useless to the King as he did the Prince; unable to assist either in anything remotely important. The inadequacy spoke in volumes.

Vegeta's features softened. "Nappa, and yourself, have kept my son safe as much as he has kept you safe. I am in your debt, for without the Prince..." he trailed off then, barely able to voice the possibility of Vegeta the younger meeting his demise, though that fate was not nearly as cruel as the one he had already met. But, still, the Saiya-jin race needed an heir, a prince who could lead them back to their former glory.

"You honor us, Ou-sama." Nappa said humbly, bowing his head in reverence. It was apparent that Nappa was as much of an ass-kisser as always, Raditz thought snidely. The giant of a man had always sought to be at the King's right hand. Raditz pondered how Nappa felt seeing Bardock in that position instead. Surely discontent would brew and a battle for the King's favor would ensue...

"I only give gratitude where it is due, Nappa. You know this as well as I. You have served my house loyally for decades. It has not gone by un-noticed." the elder Vegeta answered.

The warrior nodded, schooling his features so his pleasure of being praised was well hidden. "Forgive my impertinence, Vegeta-ou, but when young Kakarrot here was telling me of the events that have unfolded on Chikyuu-sei...some of your decisions...they do not bode well with me."

Vegeta's brow wrinkled, as if puzzled. "Speak, Nappa." he bade him, for the man had indeed served his house loyally for decades and his opinion was valued.

"My main concern is that of your decree that allows our soldiers to breed with the Chikyuu-jin women...our racial purity is at stake, My Lord." Nappa waited pensively once he finished speaking. It was a dangerous game indeed, to question his Liege about decisions that had been made well over fifteen years ago.

Vegeta laughed heartily. "Ah, you doubt the strength of our progeny, do you?" Nappa, unsure of how to respond, for his King had laughed in such a manner before, and then promptly struck whomever had questioned him dead, remained silent. The King continued in Nappa's absence of response, "Perhaps you'd like to test for yourself the strength of our half-breeds to be certain they are worthy?"

Nappa blinked. "Your Eminence-"

"Don't protest. I know you would like to see firsthand the strength and wit of our demi Saiya-jin warriors." Vegeta-ou's gaze veered to Kakarrot. The boy, already at attention, straightened even taller. "Please escort Nappa to the training hall. Select the youths I myself have sparred in the past; Kale, Lechuga, Aspara, and Rhuba. Nappa should find himself quite pleased, I am certain."

Kakarrot nodded. "Yes, Your Eminence." He had subtly mocked Nappa's reverence in repeating his utterances. Raditz hid his wry grin, for his brother was seemingly as clever as their father.

Nappa stood, hiding his fury at Kakarrot's mocking. "I shall return with a full report on my findings, Your Majesty." He turned and left the office, his hulking frame barely fitting through the door.

"Kakarrot." Bardock spoke, his son pausing at his father's bade. "Please come to my quarters once you have finished escorting Nappa-san. Raditz and myself will be awaiting your arrival." The youngest of Potat's line nodded wordlessly, bowing quickly before taking his leave.

Vegeta chuckled once the doors to his office had closed, earning the gazes of Bardock and Raditz. "Your son truly is clever and brave, to openly mock Nappa so." he commented, thoroughly amused.

Raditz bit his lip, though Bardock chuckled in return. "Yes, Vegeta, he certainly has gall." Raditz also remained silent over Bardock's familiarity with Vegeta-ou and lack of utter respect. They must truly be close, he thought, awestruck that his father, a man of middle to lower class, could become so close to the ruler of their proud race.

"Well, enough has been discussed today. All that lacks is the arrival of my son." the King commented softly, his features unreadable. Not because he had schooled them, but because too many emotions openly flickered across his facade, perplexing the two men who were so accustomed to stone-faced expression.

"He will come around, Ou-sama. I can See that clearly." Bardock replied kindly, as a friend would reassure another. Raditz wondered what his father's emphasis on 'See' was, but he would be able to ask him in private soon enough, and thus waited patiently.

Vegeta's mouth quirked into something of a grin. "I give you leave Bardock. You have much to speak of with your son, as I do mine." Conversations that would not necessarily be pleasant...

"Thank you, Your Highness." Bardock bowed briefly, as Raditz himself rose and bowed as well. He followed his father's lead, leaving the King to his isolation and silence.

"YOU ARE BOLD for one so young." Nappa announced once he and Kakarrot exited the King's office. His fury was barely restrained, for his did not want to cause a scene in this hall where others could be privy to it. No, he'd make the brat pay for his carelessness in private, where no one could protect him from his wrath.

Kakarrot remained calm, seemingly unruffled by the threat in Nappa's tone. "It is not difficult to be bold when you have the strength to back up your statements." he replied curtly, walking to the training halls. He pressed several buttons on his scouter, sending alert messages to the strongest four of the demi Saiya-jin. They would join Nappa and himself in the training halls within minutes.

Nappa grit his teeth, keeping his features neutral. "Ah, strength you may have, but in your youth you lack the skill. It can be your undoing, brat."

Kakarrot his his smirk, punching a code into the door for one of the many training rooms. "Honestly, are you foolish enough to believe I lack skill? With Bardock as my sire, I am aptly trained for any situation that presents itself. Such as a brute like you threatening me or my family because you no longer hold the King's favor in comparison to my father."

Nappa lunged for the second son of Bardock, snarling when he dodged, blurring from his vision. The door to the training room remained open, but he cared not at this point. The whelp of Bardock was cruising for a proverbial bruising and he would be the one who would dole it out to him!

Kakarrot chuckled, dodging each of Nappa's attacks. As he had suspected, Nappa relied on his sheer size and brute force in battle, instead of being strategic and using one's weaknesses against them. And he boasted about skill! He charged his ki, sending several scathing blasts at the larger man, crowing with pleasure as his shots made their mark.

Nappa emerged from the blasts, seething with anger, and the younger man crossed his arms arrogantly. "Wouldn't you rather save your energy for the demi Saiya-jin you are about to fight?" he questioned, his tone almost coy. He didn't mind if Nappa exhausted himself before even fighting them, but he really did want Nappa to see how insignificant he'd be in comparison to these young warriors.

"I will always have energy in reserve to beat you into a pulp, brat." he snarled, a threat that didn't perturb Kakarrot in the slightest. He longed to crush the boy into a pulp, but surely he would be punished for such actions, seeing as how Bardock was Vegeta-ou's new favorite and Kakarrot was Bardock's son. Curses...

They were interrupted by the cheery voices of four young demi Saiya-jin entering the training room. Nappa and Kakarrot regarded the four demi Saiya-jin who lined up before their Saiya-jin brethren. Kakarrot smirked, proud of the fact that these four youths, only two years younger than himself, were the strongest, quickest, and keenest of the demi Saiya-jin and in all likelihood would crush Nappa into a pulp were they to unleash their full strength on him.

"You see before you our eldest and strongest of the demi Saiya-jin, Nappa-_san_." Kakarrot informed the elder. "First is Rhuba," Kakarrot gestured to the youth who stood six feet tall, with unruly auburn hair, green eyes, and a guileless expression, "Then Aspara," the woman who stood beside Rhuba, short in stature with unruly blonde hair spiking down her back and sharp violet eyes, "Kale," another boy, taller than Rhuba, with white hair, blue eyes, and unreasonably handsome, "And last is Lechuga." the girl stood, tall and slim, her hair trailing down her back like an ebony waterfall, her features pale in comparison to her onyx eyes.

"It is an honor to meet you, Nappa-san." Rhuba said, bowing slightly. As the strongest amongst the demi Saiya-jin he was oftentimes the spokesman for them and their cause. Strength was, after all, the ruling class amongst the Saiya-jin.

"Likewise." Nappa answered, though it was obvious he did not agree with his own statement in the least.

"Nappa would like to spar with each of you, to make certain that you are warriors worthy of his respect." Kakarrot crossed his arms, appearing completely amused by this turn of events. "You may decide amongst yourself the order of who will spar with Nappa." With nothing more to say, Kakarrot turned to leave.

"Wait, Kakarrot!" Aspara rushed to his side, leaving the others to decide amongst themselves as to who would spar with Nappa first.

The younger son of Bardock blinked, surprised that Aspara had forfeited her chance to spar first simply to speak with him. "Yes Aspara?" He, much taller than she, looked down at her. She was slightly flushed, though he couldn't imagine why. It was almost alluring, her big, violet eyes and unruly blonde hair falling into her face...but he was keen on Bulma, and no other woman could distract him from that.

"I just...ah..." the younger girl paused, hurriedly trying to think of something, anything, to say to Kakarrot. "I wanted to know what it was like meeting the Prince." she finally blurted, immediately regretting it. Now Kakarrot would think that she was a brown-nosing, royalty seeking woman...stupid, stupid.

Kakarrot blinked once more. "Well, truth be told, I only had a few minutes in his presence. I couldn't tell you much about him." he answered honestly.

Aspara bit her lip, fighting the urge to fidget. It was unbecoming of a warrior, but yet...she still felt every bit as much of a teenage girl despite her being one of the strongest of the demi Saiya-jin. "That's not really what I meant to ask." she murmured aloud.

Kakarrot, with his Saiya-jin hearing, caught her utterance. "Then what did you wish to say?" he queried patiently. Despite Aspara's nonsensical nature at times, he respected her as a warrior and did not go out of his way to mistreat her.

Aspara sighed softly, her breath ruffling her bangs. "I wanted to maybe spar with you sometime this week. I mean, when you have the time. There are a few techniques I've heard you are skilled at." she said, speaking a bit faster then was necessary.

Kakarrot digested the girl's request and nodded. "I don't see any reason why not. Tomorrow may be a bit tough, but the day after should lend me some time."

Aspara smiled, and for a moment Kakarrot was caught off guard. No woman had ever smiled at him like that before, not even Bulma: A smile of complete and utter happiness at his willingness to fulfill a request that meant something to the woman asking. "I'll contact you the day after tomorrow if I don't see you before then." she chirped before running off to join her comrades.

Kakarrot watched her and wondered exactly what had just transpired. But now wasn't the time to contemplate such things. He needed to meet with his father and brother. He had to get to know Raditz and determine for himself if he were a man worthy of their father's regard.

He left the training hall, but not before taking note that Kale was the first to spar with Nappa. He chuckled to himself, for that boy was arrogant, cocky, and down right strange at times. He had a very human personality, having been completely and utterly spoiled by his human mother as a child. Had his Saiya-jin father stuck around, Kakarrot knew Kale would be more of a serious soldier than a horny teenager.

And Aspara... she herself had been raised only by her Saiya-jin father, her Chikyuu-jin mother having died while birthing her. She was, more often than not, a tomboy and battle-oriented woman. He found himself enjoying her company, on the sparring field and off. Conversations with her whenever he ran into her in the hallways or the mess hall were always intriguing. Whereas Bulma was focused on science and technology, Aspara cared more for fighting techniques and battle strategy. And there was something interesting about a Saiya-jin woman who was your own age.

The one thing about Bulma that bothered Kakarrot was that she was too Chikyuu-jin at times. Her concerns, her lack of psychic abilities to match his own, and her lack of aggression when it came to mating...

Had Bulma been Saiya-jin, it was likely she and he would be mated by now. But she wasn't, and they weren't. And oh, how he longed to make Bulma-san his. But she never gave him the open opportunity to hunt her. Their relationship was professional, for the most part, and he barely got to see her. Today had been a rare exception where she and him had worked together for their common goals. And although there had been moments, very few, where there had been some tension, something always occurred to break the aforementioned tension. It was almost as if fate didn't want them to be together! But, he digressed.

Kakarrot stopped before Bardock's private quarters and knocked politely. It was more out of formality than necessity, for Bardock was his father and was expecting him. But he did it regardless and waiting for his father to answer. Kakarrot wordlessly entered his father's quarters. Raditz sat comfortably in their father's common area and the brothers locked eyes.

"So we finally meet." Raditz remarked, standing to greet the younger brother he'd never truly talked to.

Kakarrot nodded wordlessly, taking in his brother's attributes. Though they were brothers, Raditz was taller than him and only vaguely resembled him. Perhaps he took after their mother's side...

"As I have told you before, Kakarrot, your brother was a comrade of mine in battle and a man I trusted with my life. Something rare for the Saiya-jin, to value family so intensely." Bardock intervened, sensing the awkwardness between his sons. It was to be expected, the two knew nothing of one another, and in addition to their age difference of fifteen years, Raditz had been absent for over fifteen years. And in Saiya-jin society, family didn't mean nearly as much as fighting squads and battle comrades did. So these two men were essentially strangers who knew nothing of one another.

"Thank you for saving our father's life on occasion." Kakarrot replied stiffly.

Raditz grinned. "It is alright Kakarrot. We will come to know one another in time. Father has told me much about you. I would be interested in a spar when things settle down a bit around here." Because the elder brother knew their father so intimately, he trusted his father's stock in young Kakarrot. And since he and Bardock seemed to get along so well, Raditz knew that he and Kakarrot would come to be close comrades in due time.

The younger of Bardock's progeny relaxed visibly and the father of the two chuckled. "It is good to have you both here. Come, let us pour wine and celebrate. Our troubles can be remembered on the morrow."

The two followed their sire's lead without protest.

THE WIND PICKED up the Chikyuu-jin's cerulean hair, the moonlight highlighting each gossamer strand, keeping Vegeta entranced by it. They remained silent on the way back to Capsule Corporation, though it was by no means uncomfortable. It was the companionable silence that two friends often enjoyed with one another, though Bulma was not one he called 'friend'.

He had not yet decided, after all.

The Prince watched her, taking in her ivory skin, her delicate features, her ease with which she operated her machinery. He would even go so far as to call it a grace of sorts. She exuded it, it emanated from her. And he found a simple sort of pleasure from merely watching it and her.

This woman, Bulma-san, had intruded on his volatile inner musings, physically entering his environment, hoping to offer her friendship to him, not knowing if he would end her life then and there for her gall. He had already deduced that he would train every waking moment of his life from here on out to attain his goal of becoming Super Saiya-jin. The fights and struggles of his life would not be for naught, his father be damned!

But she didn't demand anything of him. She only gazed upon him, her eyes cool, clear, calm pools of ultramarine. She spoke, her voice demure and musical to his ear. Her face a beautiful oval, framed by unruly, wind-swept aqua locks.

This Chikyuu-jin, so fair and lovely, had offered her friendship, not expecting anything in return, not even his response. And he followed her as she beckoned him back to the very place he had vowed not to go.

But he didn't begrudge her that. He was no coward. He would meet with his father, confront him, challenge him...and perhaps understand why he himself had suffered so needlessly. He loved his father. He hated his father. He didn't know what he felt towards his father. He just knew that he needed answers. And the only way to obtain them would be to meet with him. Vegeta-ou; the King of Saiya-jin.

She landed the vehicle in the compound. Vegeta had seen it looming in the distance, and instinctively knew it was one of the Saiya-jin bases. The formation of it was too similar to the Saiya-jin compounds of Vegeta-sei that Nappa and Raditz had told him of to be anything else. As Bulma turned off the engine, unbuckling her belt, she turned her ethereal gaze towards Vegeta.

"This is my own personal courtyard, away from the Saiya-jin barracks. My quarters are here. I have a spare bedroom, if you wish to spend the night and make a decision tomorrow..."

Vegeta cleared his throat. "It is probably best that I meet with my...the King tonight." he spoke softly, averting his gaze. Belatedly it occurred to him that his behavior could be perceived as meek, but this woman's opinion mattered not.

Bulma nodded, climbing out of the aircraft, and Vegeta followed suit. She encapsulated it, earning Vegeta's surprise, but now was not the time to ask about technological advances. He had to meet with and face his own father for the first time in over fifteen years.

He wondered what he should say, how he should feel. This man had abandoned him for the sake of their race. But, then again, what would he have done had he been in the same position as his father? Probably something similar, had the same choices been presented to him. And Kakarrot had said that his father had wanted to rescue him, but that Bardock foresaw that Vegeta-ou would fall in his attempts to rescue Vegeta-ouji.

"I'll take you to King Vegeta then." she replied, a small smile on her face. She entered her quarters, and Vegeta once again followed her. Apparently her own bedroom gave view to her courtyard, and Vegeta looked around the intimate surroundings, his eyes adjusting to the light that she turned on with the mere clap of her hands.

The room was painted in shades of soft, pale blue. The furniture was all wood, painted in pristine white. The room was not overly girly, but it had a feminine touch. It was sensible, but revealed the nature of its occupant. There were a few objects in the room that most likely had sentimental value, such as a plush animal sitting primly on the bed, and photographs placed in frames sitting on the vanity. The room was neat, but still showed signs that someone lived there. Cosmetics lay haphazardly across the aforementioned vanity, and an outfit or so, likely rejected for wear that day, laid across the back of the vanity's chair.

"Hn." Vegeta unknowingly grunted aloud, gaining Bulma's attention. She turned to look at him expectantly.

"What is it?" she questioned blankly, completely unaware of Vegeta's thoughts or observations.

Vegeta blinked. "It is nothing." he answered quickly. He sensed that if he behaved a certain way, she would become annoyed or enraged by the aforementioned behavior.

She arched a brow and her hands came to rest on her hips. "Is there something wrong with my room?" she queried quickly, immediately guessing what Vegeta had made a noise over.

Vegeta resisted the urge to twitch. "No. There is nothing wrong with your living quarters. I was merely taking in my surroundings and unwittingly made a verbal comment." he answered, somehow sensing that he had to choose his words carefully. He fought to keep his own temper from rising to meet that of his opponent's, though there was difficulty in doing so.

She held her battle-ready stance for a moment, then decided to let it go. "You should be happy to see my room at all." she said arrogantly, her hands dropping from her hips. "No man has ever been inside my room." her tone softened, and she thought of the moment she and Kakarrot had nearly shared that afternoon. Had he been trying to kiss her? Or had it merely been her own imagination?

Vegeta blinked at the unexpected volunteering of information. "So you are telling me you are untouched?" he questioned dryly. This woman had unwittingly given him ammo for his arsenal.

She flushed, looking away. "Well, I guess I inadvertently just did." she snapped, though she lacked the harsh bite she'd had earlier. Great, Kami only knew what sort of damage this sullen Prince could do with such private information. Though she had offered her friendship, it didn't mean he'd take that offer and be her friend in return. So he could still be an enemy, much like how she sensed that Nappa would be.

Vegeta's features darkened, and Bulma found it both surprising and intimidating. "It is much better to be untouched than touched against your will. Savor your innocence, woman." he quickly warped his face into a neutral mask as quickly as he had become sullen.

Bulma blinked. "I...uh...let me take you to see Vegeta-sama..." she murmured, not sure what to think of such an outburst or such bitter emotion. She couldn't quite grasp Vegeta's statement at the moment, nor did she have the time or energy to delve further into his dark statement. It was best to bring the Prince to the King and leave matters in their hands from there.

He followed her through the vast halls, quietly observing her as she punched the security codes. She felt his eyes upon her, watching her every movement, and she fought self consciousness over it. Many a Saiya-jin had eyed her up, of course, but none so...intense...as Vegeta.

She stopped before Vegeta-ou's office, knowing full well that he'd still be inside, long after every other scientist and warrior had retired for the evening. The King always worked tirelessly, and she suspected Junior would be very much the same. She faced the man, taking in his unreadable features and confident stance. Though, somehow, she knew Vegeta-ouji was as nervous and jittery as any young man would be after a sixteen year absence from his father.

"Well," she began softly, aware that Vegeta-ou could hear whatever was being said outside his office door, "here we are, Vegeta."

He exhaled softly, his obsidian eyes piercing to her very core. "I...thank you." he murmured, fully taking in all that she had done for him and all that she had offered.

Impulsively she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his smooth, tanned cheek. "I'll see you later." she rushed, mortified by her actions. She dashed off, leaving Vegeta before the heavy door of his destiny.

Vegeta watched her leave, his fingertips raising to touch where the Chikyuu-jin's lips had. He shook his head, dropping his hand into a clenched fist. Now was not the time...his father was waiting...and much needed to be said.

He rapped politely on the door. And held his breath.


	7. Discussions

AN: Hello all! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of Long Way Home. I know I left off at an intense cliff hangar, so without further delay, please enjoy! Best Path! :)

And a quick key to differentiate between King Vegeta and Prince Vegeta will be the following:

King Vegeta will be referred to as Vegeta the senior, Vegeta the elder, Vegeta Senior, Vegeta-ou, Saiya-jin no Ou, etc.

Prince Vegeta will be referred to as Vegeta the junior, Vegeta the younger, Vegeta Junior, Vegeta-ouji, Saiya-jin no Ouji, etc.

Hope this clears everything up. I know multiple characters with the same name can get a bit confusing...but we'll trudge through it, OK?

Long Way Home

THE COMMAND ROOM was a flurry of motion, as it always was, but their leader was seated comfortably in his pod chair, the only thing still amid the chaos. Each worker, not only consumed in their tasks, but fearful of their liege's current dark mood, did not tarry in their objectives. The reason for Freiza's dark temper was not entirely known, nor did anyone desire to risk their lives in an attempt to find out.

But Zarbon knew his master well, and thus knew the reason for his lord's disagreeable nature. "Sire, I assure you, I have a team of forensics out on Greatel-sei to discover the reason for the Saiya-jin's disappearance. They should be reporting within the day of their findings." he spoke gently in a tone that was usually calmed the Ice-ling.

"And what of those assigned to search the logs for any evidence?" Freiza snapped irritably. His mood was definitely not his best, for he loathed Vegeta's insolence and longed to hunt down his favorite monkey to administer punishment.

Zarbon coughed nervously. "They are searching through Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz's logs to see where they hadn't covered their tracks, Lord Freiza." He always felt anxious whenever a dark mood came over his sovereign. It was hard to control the volatile part of his temper. Everyone around Freiza was at the whim of his temperament.

"Hn." The lizard snorted impertinently. No one on this forsaken ship possessed more than two neurons to rub together, it seemed. Vegeta's lack of report and appearance had only concerned him mildly at first. He had thought it was due to broken communications on Vegeta's ship, or atmospheric conditions that prevented him and his men from making contact. But then the days became weeks, and now he knew for certain that something was amiss.

In all likelihood, Vegtea and his men had left Greatel-sei and slunk to some back water planet in the galaxy. A feeble attempt to escape their lord and master, truly. Vegeta should have known better than to try to escape. Freiza owned him, body, mind, and soul. He had since the Saiya-jin Prince was a boy. Now it seemed that the slave was deigning to buck his master's rule.

An intercom buzzed, an transmission from Greatel-sei, and the face of the lead scientist appeared. "Freiza-sama," the alien bowed its head in respect, "I have news of the happenings on Greatel-sei."

"Speak." The Ice-ling intoned shortly.

The alien, its skin a golden hue, humanoid in form, nodded eagerly. "The three Saiya-jin have carried through with their purge as assigned, but there is no evidence of their pods, their personal effects, or their bodies. They have, in all likelihood, left the planet intact and have journeyed to some sort of prearranged haven."

Freiza scowled darkly. Vegeta...that brat Prince dared to defy him? He had spared his life, had honed the stupid monkey into the warrior he was this day! And that arrogant upstart sought to leave his services voluntarily? His fists clenching, his teeth grinding, his temper flaring, Freiza jumped out of his pod. The workers all paused to look at their master, observing his angry actions.

Zarbon apprehensively touched his sovereign's shoulder. "My Lord, you mustn't allow this to compromise your composure." The blue skinned being fought to keep from shaking. Frieza's temper usually caused severe damage.

Freiza frowned, tempted to kill his servant for his audacity in laying unwarranted hand upon him, but he resisted the urge. Zarbon was a useful and loyal soldier, not deserving of his wrath that Vegeta had inspired. "You're right, Zarbon. Vegeta has to have gone somewhere, and he will be found. There are only so many place in this universe that he could hide. And when he is discovered, he will be punished. By my hands, I will teach that insolent whelp the error of his ways."

Zarbon did not doubt his liege for one moment. "Perhaps the techs will discover where Vegeta and his companions have gone." As if on cue, the science wing hailed the main command. Zarbon dutifully answered, regarding the purple skinned alien who happened to be the best system hacker. 'What have you found?"

The alien wasted no time with formality. "Raditz is much more clever than we have given him credit for. He managed to conceal his queries, but it was only a matter of time before I unearthed them. He had searched for a planet out in a breach of space we haven't spread our control to yet. A small planet, third from their solar system's sun, planet 8675309, called 'Chikyuu' by the natives, seems to be their intended destination. How or why they chose that planet, I cannot begin to guess."

"Thank you for your accurate and timely research." Zarbon replied before disconnecting communication. He turned to the pale lizard whom had destroyed his own people and ruled his life with an iron fist. "So you have it, Freiza-sama, Vegeta have left a trail for us to follow." he reported neutrally.

"Prepare our ship for departure. I'm going to make a direct example of Vegeta for all to bear witness." Freiza ordered curtly.

Inwardly, Zarbon found himself almost rooting for the wayward Saiya-jin and his comrades. If only he himself could muster the nerve for such a task. But, he kept his features schooled and revealed nothing. "Yes, Lord Freiza." he replied softly, setting himself to the task of their new mission as the tyrant stormed from the control room.

Zarbon approached a control console and pulled up the statistics of the planet Vegeta had supposedly fled to. The planet was small compared to the other inhabitable planets throughout the galaxy, but it possessed quite the precious minerals and ores. But Chikyuu was quite far away, it would be months, perhaps even a year before they could arrive there. No wondered no one had sought to purge it for sale, it would be damn inconvenient.

And yet, Freiza was so enchanted with his errant pet that he was willing to divert his attentions away from his business per usual to hunt him down on a mission that was improbable. "Well all," he raised his voice to address the personnel in the room, "you've heard Lord Freiza. Prepare for our trip to planet 8675309, Chikyuu."

NAPPA WIPED THE blood from his mouth as he eyed up the four young whelps who had disgraced his race. He had unwittingly assumed that because these four teenagers were half breeds, their strength would be halved as well. It seemed that he had been mistaken, these demi Saiya-jin far more powerful than any other full blooded Saiya-jin youth he'd come across, save for Vegeta-ouji.

The spar had been more than satisfactory, coming close to an all out brawl on more than a few occasions. Rhuba's strength had been not only strong for a pup of his age, but for a half breed as well. The battle was more of a challenge than Nappa had expected. And when he'd fought Kale, the brat had been so clever and cunning that Nappa had been taken off guard on multiple occasions. It was eerie when a youth bested you mentally. Aspara had a lot of energy and a lot of will, so it was hard to break her morale during battle. Lechuga was very calculating and cool, not giving much away during her fights, instead constantly countering anything Nappa did.

But where these by-blows were strong, they were not as strong as Nappa himself, yet. So, slowly, he had worn them down. Though, when working in junction with two or more, they had come close to overwhelming him. They were quite accustomed to one another and were able to merge their fighting styles with near seamlessness.

It would be chilling to see what warriors they would become by young adulthood... and a small voice urged Nappa to see to it that the never made it to that. But, no, he could not cull these pups without severe repercussion from both Vegeta-ou and Vegeta-ouji, he was certain. And he wouldn't give Bardock the satisfaction either. Smug bastard...

The youths stood about, their sound stances belying their injuries. Nappa couldn't even insult them with their weaknesses, for they gave nothing away. Damned brats. He longed to punish them for their insolence. Their mere sullied blood line was offense enough, their overwhelming power was insult to injury. What would his once proud race become of now?

"Had enough, Nappa-san?" one boy questioned cockily, tossing his pale human textured hair over his shoulder. Despite his wounds from the more-battle-than-friendly-spar, his posture was conceited and narcissistic. Never had a Saiya-jin male been so vain!

This one, Nappa believed his name was Kale, was quite the upstart. Nappa's gaze narrowed. He didn't like this Kale one bit. He looked so...Chikyuu-jin that his Saiya-jin father must have disowned him with shame. "I think you all have had enough. I am satisfied as of now by Vegeta-ou's judgment, but I will keep a carefully trained eye on you." He kept the menace in his tone, his threat thinly veiled.

"Say nothing, Kale." Lechuga interrupted Kale before he could retort, holding up her hand before the smart mouthed teen could condemn them all. Rhuba nodded in agreement, not savoring the prospect of a no holds barred fight. No one was in any condition to fight, and no one could guess if Nappa was withholding his true power to lead them into their own dishonorable deaths.

Kale scowled, but stood down. Somehow, out of all of them, Lechuga always managed to control Kale's boisterous nature. No one could say why, exactly, for Lechuga was hardly soft or nurturing in any way. But the reasons why mattered not when the pale haired youth's nature got them into trouble countless times before and Lechuga had been the only one to rectify the situation.

The youths bowed rigidly and dismissed themselves. An argument with their elder would not reflect upon them well, and they had only just gained Vegeta-ou's respect in the past year. They were disciplined enough to know that revenge would be a dish best served cold. Nappa would have his comeuppance, even if it took several years for them to grow old, strong, and wise enough to defeat him in fair combat by their Saiya-jin sire's laws and honor bound society.

Nappa remained in the chamber alone for some time, wondering if perhaps it hadn't been better when he, for fifteen years, believed his race to be dead and gone. Because, when he had believed so, they had died with Saiya-jin honor and deed intact. This new...abomination that his people had become...it wasn't something he was certain he could bear. The new generations were unavoidably sullied...the greatest of his culture lost forever when their blood had blended with those of the Chikyuu-jin.

He knew a new level of despair in knowing this.

VEGETA-OU OPENED HIS office door with trepidation, knowing full well that the precious son he'd thought lost forever was in live flesh on the opposite side. He could at the very least admit to himself that he was nervous. The King laid eyes upon the mirror image of himself as a young man, though his son had not grown out his facial hair and he was a good deal shorter than himself. Vegeta-ouji's posture screamed authority, and the elder felt a streak of pride run through his very core. His son was every bit the competent prince he had predicted the younger would become.

On the outside, at the very least. Mentally, his son could be a rabid, raging dog who would need to be put down. But from what Vegeta-ou gleaned from Nappa and Raditz, Vegeta the younger was seemingly a competent leader, having kept both men alive in his service for fifteen years. Serving a maniacal tyrant no less.

Neither man spoke at first and merely observed one another. Fifteen years without having laid eyes upon one another called for prudence and patience. Vegeta-ouji looked upon his father, carefully keeping his turbulent emotions concealed and contained. There was so much to say, so much that had been lost in the space that was between them. The chasm between them, more like. Where could he possibly begin? What could the Prince vocalize to his long-lost father that could relay everything that was the sum and total of his life to this point?

"Vegeta." The King spoke softly, breaking the silence that was louder than the own explosion of their home planet had been. Would he have the courage to face his son, knowing that he'd abandoned the Prince in favor of preserving their faltering race? He'd have to, he owed his progeny this much.

"Otousama." The Prince replied evenly, bowing his head to show his filial piety and respect due to a King, though his kingdom had been burnt to ash. They had both lost their home world, had been in the vast breaches of space and back, only to arrive here, on this planet, fifteen years apart, to stand once more on the very same ground.

The elder clapped his hand upon his son's shoulder. "Come into my office. We have much to speak of." His tone was not harsh as a command would have been, though he had worded his speech as such.

The younger followed the elder into the office, closing the door behind himself and looking about the room. It was smaller, comfortable, calm. Decorated sparingly, seemingly meant for business alone, it was efficient and sufficient. He belatedly wondered if and when this office would become his own.

Vegeta-ou sat at his desk, observing as Vegeta took the chair before the desk, copying the straight posture that he himself sat in. "These years have been long and worrisome. We knew not whether you'd survived to manhood in service to Freiza. Let alone preserve the lives of Nappa and Raditz in the process."

The Saiya-jin no Ouji buried his burgeoning feelings and focused himself on the task at hand. "Yes, these years have been long and worrisome. I believed our planet and all of it's people to be long dead. That Nappa, Raditz, and myself were the sole survivors. We'd only just now had the resources to devise an escape plan. And our discovery of Kakarrot's existence brought us here. Needless to say, I was shocked to discover my father and the remnants of our once strong race tucked away on the very back water planet that Kakarrot had been sent to decimate." he replied carefully.

"As shocking as it is, I hope you are pleased to know the truth," the King observed the nod of affirmation in his son and continued, "Now that your mission is complete, what will you do next?"

Vegeta-ouji's brows narrowed. This was a test. His father wanted to discern whether he would lead their race to victory over their enemies, or if he'd become some weak, simpering fool content to spend his life safely concealed on an alien planet. His father was sorely mistaken if he believed that Vegeta the younger would just roll over or lie fallow.

"I plan to train. To become strong. To achieve the exalted position as the Legendary. I will reach across the galaxy and wring Freiza's neck in my very hands." Without realizing it, his voice had risen several levels and filled with passion and ambition.

Saiya-jin no Ou observed his son's vigor and leaned back into his chair with a smirk. "May the Gods strike me down for ever having doubted you, my boy." He allowed his pleasure to permeate his tone. He would not die without heir. Vegeta-ouji could yet reign as the next Saiya-jin no Ou. Of course, Freiza would have to be defeated and Vegeta-ouji still standing thereafter, but it was a strong potential.

King Vegeta had known since his son had been born that he was destined for greatness. And lo, here his race was in their most dire need, and their heir apparent had arrived serendipitously on the same planet as they themselves had. The Gods surely sought to see the Saiya-jin race prevail even in the most bleak of times.

Vegeta-ouji bowed his head. "I am humbled that you still place stock in me, Otousama." Inwardly, his emotions felt such as a roiling ocean storm. Outwardly his expression remained schooled. His father did not let on whether he knew of the exact misfortunes that had befallen his vassals and, more shamefully, himself. Vegeta-ouji also knew that his father, whether he knew or not, would not speak of such contemptible subjects, nor would he express any outward sympathy.

A prince, no matter what adversities he had faced in life, was not to be coddled and expected to take the Saiya-jin throne when deemed ready through victory in a death battle with the current king. Which, in simpler terms, meant he'd have to be strong enough to defeat his father in combat, ending in the death of either king or heir apparent. So, if an heir was wise, he'd take his father's life before his father was disgraced with old age, but not before the prince-ling himself was both strong enough and wise enough to lead his people.

"I had always hoped..." King Vegeta replied, trailing off, memories of the fifteen long years, wondering what had befallen his young progeny passing before him like an unending nightmare. How many nights had he lain in his massive bed, wondering if somewhere in the cosmos young Vegeta was alive, surviving, and perhaps even doing well.

Though Bardock's vision of the Prince's circumstances had made it all too clear that Vegeta-ouji had suffered greatly at the hands of Freiza. If King Vegeta did not know his son's stubborn nature, he would have gotten revenge of Freiza himself. But he would stay his hand. Revenge would be Prince Vegeta's alone.

"Otousama?" The Prince questioned, arching a brow at his father's silence.

The King shook his head. "I am glad to see you into manhood, despite how you have had to do so." It was the most he could say, truly, if he had any respect for his people and their lack of emotional vulnerability. He could not tell his son how much he cared for him, how much he'd feared for his well being, how he wished every single day that he'd forsaken his people for Vegeta. His son should have come first.

But Bardock's vision were spoken of with such clarity Vegeta-ou had no choice but to believe him. The gift of Sight was not something a wise king would ignore. And so, in the process, Vegeta the younger had suffered. And now, like Bardock had predicted, the Saiya-jin race could rally against their tyrant who had crushed their people beneath his heel.

"As I am relieved that some remnants of our race still breathe." Vegeta-ouji admitted, though his voice remained clipped and controlled. He inwardly wondered exactly how much his father knew, but didn't want to press the matter. It would be awkward and embarrassing for them both.

"It was all due to Bardock's gift of Sight." The King replied. He knew he would never have taken such action on his own, Bardock's advice crucial to the few of their people that could be saved.

"Ah...Intriguing powers..." the Prince quipped.

"Powers that have proven themselves time and again, boy. Do not presume to doubt Bardock's gifts or abilities." Vegeta-ou rose to the defense of his comrade and friend. Their race would not survive if Vegeta the younger tested or killed Bardock. The heir apparent had to place his confidence in the Seer as well.

Vegeta bowed his head, for whenever there was a disagreement between Prince and King, the Prince could defer to the king or he could challenge him. But that was not something he wanted or was capable of at the moment, though not because of physical disadvantage. His emotions simply could not comprehend the discovery that his father lived and that he had slain him with his own hand in the same day. "I trust your judgment." he acknowledged.

"Then allow me to guide you to your sleeping quarters." The King stood, conversation all but forgotten. He and his son could agree or disagree on the direction their race was to go tomorrow. But for tonight, enough emotions were experienced to leave them both a little raw. He himself could use some rest.

Since he'd arrived on Earth, he'd kept a bedroom suit available close to his own. It was a separate, small wing, and quite comfortable. Worthy of a prince, even. And its proximity guaranteed his objective observance of the young prince, while granting him enough privacy so as to not feel stifled. He guided Vegeta-ouji to this suite, leaving him with the access code to the door. The Prince could explore on his own, and come and go as he pleased.

Vegeta-ou was not a babysitter, and Vegeta-ouji was more than grown to look after himself. "I expect to see you in the morning for training. I will send a warrior to fetch you. Rest well." The elder dictated formally.

The Prince nodded and bowed, entering his quarters without sparing a glance for his father. He found the light switch, looking about the chambers that had been decorated to resemble a prince's quarters back on Vegeta-sei. The walls were a dark crimson, almost black, and lush drapes hung over the tall windows. The bed was large, canopied, and draped as well. All of the furniture was a dark, heavy wood, sturdy and reliable. The family tapestries and crests were hung upon the walls as decoration, as were heavy rugs thrown upon the polished wooden floor.

A bathing chamber was attached, however, and quite...human, he supposed. Every race always had their own idea of decor, and it appeared that this Chikyuu-jin styled bathroom was tiled, contemporary, and porcelain. It would do. He was not a man who had acquired a taste of luxury.

Another part of the room was a nook, with couches and small table for entertaining a small number of guests, he supposed. A desk was also included in the nook, though he didn't think he'd find much use in either the sitting area or the mini-office. He intended to spend the majority of his time in the training halls, working to achieve his next goal. Speaking of which...

The room was too quite for all of the thoughts in his mind, and he knew sleep was unlikely to find him, exhausted though he was. He left the quite of his room, taking note that even though it was likely nighttime on this sector of the planet, people were still awake, coming and going from training rooms, the mess hall, and their own respective wings which housed their barrack-like chambers.

His presence was noted, and shocking, to many but he ignored them. His was their Prince, and whomever chose to question him would be met with his fist, ki, or both. He located the training halls, and finding one of the rooms to be empty, entered it. A calm washed over his senses as the door to the room slid closed, effectively isolating him. Here, everything made sense. All he could think of was the next tier, the next level that could be attained. It kept him sane when everything else sought to drive him crazy.

BULMA TOOK REFUGE in her lab after she had left Vegeta in front of his father's office. To say that she was flustered was putting it mildly. She had nearly kissed Kakarrot earlier that day, had chased after a Saiya-jin Prince into the wilderness, and then had kissed the said prince on the cheek. It seemed that the older she got the more crazy and hair brained her life became, and she was only twenty one! Though her life would have probably never been 'normal', being the only genius daughter of the creator of Capsule Corporation.

But her life had definitely changed when the Saiya-jin race limped across the galaxy to Earth. Their appearance had stopped several of the enemies that had been threatening Chikyuu on a global scale. They had effectively defeated the Red Ribbon army when they had rose up, helping to unite the earthlings.

Capsule Corp was assigned specifically to support the Saiya-jin cause, receiving worldwide funding to feed and support the Saiya-jin cause. Her father built Capsule Corp into a Saiya-jin compound, laboratory, and corporation, in addition to it providing a home for his own family. Before he had died of emphysema he had begun to build the cargo and battleships that would be needed for galactic battle. They were waiting patiently in reserve for the moment when both the Chikyuu-jin and Saiya-jin deemed themselves worthy to wage war.

And now she had taken up where he had left off, filling in the details that her father hadn't had time to discover or had overlooked himself. She created in conjunction with Bardock's council and King Vegeta's experience. They simply knew space faring technicalities and politics that her people, as a world bound race, were ignorant to. And now Vegtea, with an updated education on current space politics and fleets, could fill in the rest.

The Saiya-jin Prince... he was going to be her undoing. She was completely reckless around him, gave away too many personal facts, and got herself into vulnerable and uncomfortable situations. He was an alien, raised by a galactic tyrant, surviving by the skin of his teeth, with no home planet, and a limited race to call his own. She had no business trying to help, befriend, interact, or kiss him. Though no Saiya-jin had ever been outright violent towards her, if she happened to get too involved with their returned from the dead prince, they might not take kindly to that.

She sighed, brushing errant strand of blue from her line of vision. Her brain was quite strained from the long day, and she probably should have been in bed hours ago, but there always seemed to be something else to do. As of now, plans for space sensors were underway, though she needed to build a ship capable of planting and securing them. In lieu of Bardock's Sight, it would be wise to place a tripwire of sorts around the outer perimeter of their solar system.

A sound, barely perceptible, caught her attention and drew her from her plans. "Who's there?" she questioned, not scared but more irked at the intrusion.

Kakarrot stepped out of the door frame that she'd left cracked open, negligence on her part, and entered the room. "Hey Bulma." his voice was slurred slightly, and she thought she could smell the heady red wine on him from her seat.

She relaxed slightly before she remembered their almost kiss from earlier that afternoon. She thought he'd meant to kiss her, at least. And she wasn't entirely sure she didn't want him to. He was certainly handsome enough. "Kakarrot. Don't sneak up on me like that." she scolded.

He laughed, walking closer, leaning up against her desk. "I wanted to thank you for all of your help today." he informed her, smiling much more than she had ever seen him. He wasn't pessimistic or grumpy by any means, but he was more serious most of the time, adhering to his people's confines of emotional expression.

She cringed as his wine sticky hands ended up on her space sensors blueprints. She stood, tactfully pulling him off of her desk and subsequent plans. "You're very welcome. Maybe I should help you to bed?" She grimaced yet again when she realized how suggestively her suggestion could be interpreted.

He laughed, almost with the glee of a boy. "Yes, please, I need your help."

She felt the tremble of nerves, but thought it would be best to see him to bed. This confining office was too intimate for her own good, nor did she want to potentially get hot and heavy in it. Her and Kakarrot's reputation would not be well preserved if they were discovered cavorting in her office.

His room, however, would be a more discreet option, since his quarters were quite the generous suite for a warrior of his breeding. His power level had elevated him to well reputed status, and so he reaped the rewards when it came to his bedchambers. The high-leveled warrior was not placed in barrack-style rooms with a battle squad, and instead afforded quite the amount of privacy. And she had often been seen coming and going from his suite, as he was her go between with Bardock and the King.

It took them some time to make it, what with Kakarrot laughing, stopping to lean against the wall, or attempting to initiate a serious conversation in the middle of the hall with her. And unbeknownst to them, a figure saw their progress through the hall from the shadow of the room he was currently in. But they made it to his quarters and Bulma punched the clearance code into the door. They entered, and the son of Bardock stumbled over to his bed, entering it clumsily.

This was where she should have bid him good night and left, but against her better judgment she came to his bedside to tuck him in. And unexpectedly he pulled her into his arms before promptly passing out. And the Capsule Corp Heiress found her stuck in the vice grip of a drunken, passed out Saiya-jin male. And she didn't know if he shifted in his sleep, or when she would be released. The night might be longer than she had initially anticipated.


	8. Premonitions

AN: Hope you enjoyed, its been a long time coming. Best Path :)

Long Way Home

WINE INDUCED SLEEP soon morphed into something of a symbolic nightmare as Bardock's sight drew him from his own subconsciousness into the realm of what could only be called astral space. Images, both haunting and disparaging, flashed before his eyes. He had found himself starring at his home world, Vegeta-sei, and its imminent destruction. The light from the planet's explosion was blinding, as was the sonic boom of it deafening.

His people trekked across the universe to arrive upon Earth. Vegeta-ouji, Nappa, and Raditz had left in direction of Chikyuu, but behind them was a white demon, imperceptibly skirting their tails, its jaws snapping hungrily to consume them whole. Once they arrived, the white demon short behind them, the same harm that befell Vegeta-sei also befell Earth.

That blinding light, the heat of the energy, the cosmic roar. And all that was suddenly was not, the earth breaking apart, all the beings on it burnt to ash and dust before they could even perceive the pain of such an event. He was there, his sons beside him, and they all ceased to exist in an instant, his own scream unable to leave his throat.

He woke with a strangled cry, alone in the cool dark of his room. His son Raditz was passed out on the lounge in his suite, and Kakarrot was nowhere to be found. Hn, the boy probably woke in the middle of the night and decide to stumble to his own quarters. Bardock forced his breath to become even, and forced his heartbeat to slow. It was a bad dream, a vision that would not come to pass if he could help it. Earth's destruction could be prevented, couldn't it?

But Freiza, if he was the white demon that was chasing Vegeta and his vassals so relentlessly, was coming. Bardock closed his eyes, focusing inward, forcing his mind to see the endless branches of potentials. How long would it be before Freiza arrived? Would they be able to effectively destroy him then? Or would they have to evacuate the planet first?

His gift of Sight answered him with a general time line of when Freiza would arrive, but it wasn't precise enough. Either some major decisions had not yet been made on the tyrannical monster's part, or he was too startled and fatigued to discern the answer for himself. This was not good...there might not be enough time. Even with almost a year to prepare, it would not get any of them strong enough to defeat him. Perhaps if they joined forces and attacked before the Ice-ling could, but that was an iffy strategy at best.

He closed his eyes, concentrating again. All he could see Chikyuu's looming explosion. He growled under his breath, though he was sure that Raditz was too drunk to wake from such a soft noise. He and his sons had perhaps drank too much in their celebration of being reunited. He was happiest he had been in some time, for he had missed his older son's company and was glad to see that Kakarrot could come to know the man that his older brother was.

But this dream of Chikyuu's death was all too sobering, literally and metaphorically. Happiness was short lived in such times of strife. He and his sons could never know peace of Freiza drew breath. He could not sleep again, knowing this. His gift was a curse, for it lent itself to many a sleepless night. The potentials and 'what ifs', numerous and endless, was enough to drive another man crazy.

Bardock left the warmth and comfort of his bed, hurrying to his sovereign's chambers discreetly. On his trek to the King's quarters, he was noticed and observed by a figure. Bardock himself did not notice, as he was so focused on his task. He knocked on the door urgently and waited rather impatiently for the King to answer. He did, his eyes bleary, but he snapped to attention when he saw his friend's expression. "Come. Tell me, what have you Seen?" he moved to allow the man entry, closing the door quietly.

Bardock lit the lamp in Vegeta's quarters, sitting at his small conversation area. In the dim light both men regarded one another seriously. "I had a disturbing vision." Bardock finally confided. Vegeta drew his breath in sharply, but remained silent, giving the Seer room to speak.

"I saw Chikyuu's destruction at the hands of Freiza."

Vegtea knew well enough than to ask Bardock if he was sure, or to protest that such an outcome were not possible. He knew Bardock well, and trusted his insight. If he claimed that Earth would fall, he was probably right. Vegtea blanched at the thought. Another planet, destroyed at the hands of the that tyrannical demon. "So...prepare to evacuate now, months before he arrives." It was the only logical suggestion he could conceive of.

"We will not prepare enough ships in time to evacuate the whole population. But an evacuation on a smaller scale is possible." Was Bardock's even reply.

"Perhaps Vegeta will be able to defeat Freiza. The boy has informed me that he deigns to become the Legendary. I believe him capable." Something, anything, was better than Freiza successfully destroying the remnants of the Saiya-jin and the entirety of the Chikyuu-jin.

Bardock blinked. The Legendary Super Saiya-jin. The stuff of myths and lore. No one had laid eyes upon one in over a thousand years. His Sight reacted, taking him to Vegeta-ouji's future. The Prince, in an emotional upheaval, breaking through the barrier to become the Legendary. He followed the different branches, calculating the potential. It was high, very high. But would it happen in time to circumvent Freiza's destruction of Chikyuu? That wasn't as high of a potential.

But no one needed to know that. Oftentimes, if you informed someone of a highly probable future, you altered it in that very moment. You might not necessarily always prevent it from occurring, but you could alter details, major or minor.

"The young Prince has the potential. But I cannot say anything more."

Vegeta-ou had to accept that. He had learned the hard way, in the past, not to press the Seer for more information than he was willing to give. Bardock would not budge when it came to his gift of Sight. "So...we must begin preparation for evacuation."

Bardock nodded. "We need to become space ready in the matter of months. It will certainly be less than a year. And we cannot guarantee that we can prevent Freiza's destruction of Chikyuu. We must come into contact with other species willing to foster us and help our cause. An alliance with other races are our only hope."

Vegeta-ouji grimaced. "We are becoming something so unlike our ancestors' image for us." His people had been the original galactic tyrants, at least in their quadrant of the universe, before they had made ill treaty with Freiza. But, now they had taken opposition to Freiza's galactic monopoly, stepping up to become the galactic defenders. And the people they were becoming, simply from merging their culture with those of the Chikyuu-jin, were people who would defend the galaxy justly, instead of tormenting it themselves.

"Its not a bad thing. Our ancestors were monsters, and bastards, to boot." Bardock's dry wit was not lost on the king.

"Our race had stubbornly fought and bucked change. But perhaps it is not such a bad thing." He had certainly changed himself in the past fifteen years. The loss of your kingdom and home world could wear on a man. Who he was two decades ago would sneer upon the very sight of the man and king he was today. But somehow, it didn't bother him as much as it could. He was a better man, and sovereign, in many ways.

"The only constant is change. The key to our race's survival is how quickly we adapt alongside of change." Bardock said with an emphatic nod. He crossed his arms, brows furrowed, and leaned back into the sofa he sat upon. "It is good that we have bred with the Chikyuu-jin. It is good that we have been able to recoup, and restart anew here on Chikyuu. Our people's morale needed a decade or so to recover. But now is the time to act. War will be imminent, in a few months time. Every able bodied Saiya-jin will be expected to participate."

"Then we will call a meeting with Bulma-san and the King of Chikyuu in the morning." King Vegeta answered calmly. There was a path to follow now that this unknown had been discovered by Bardock. Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz had not been as thorough in their escape as they had originally believed. But, really, that was almost to be expected since their resources were not as vast as Freiza's were.

"Agreed." Bardock rose, and the men clapped one another companionably on the shoulder in thanks for their services rendered. The Seer left, leaving Vegeta-ou to his thoughts. Freiza, in less than a year, would be arriving at Chikyuu. And would, in all likelihood, blow it to smithereens like he had Vegeta-sei. Shit.

Needless to say, he did not sleep well that evening.

KAKARROT WINCED AS he slowly gained consciousness. His biological clock typically would wake him early, and though he had drank way too much the night before, he couldn't ignore his Saiya-jin nature. He was up for the day, it seemed. He groaned softly, pressing his fingers to his temples. His head ached, his mouth was dry, and he was...in his room?

He was dressed in the spandex suit that warriors wore beneath their armor, but not much else. He stretched in his bed before sitting up, looking around. He was indeed in his own private bedchambers, but he was alone. He recalled drinking with his father and new found brother the evening before, but everything else was somewhat hazy. He knew he had stumbled from his father's room...and he recalled Bulma, her laboratory, her kindly escorting him to his room.

But he didn't remember much else. Had they mated? Kakarrot glanced down at his clothed figure and dismissed the possibility. There would be no way that he would have dressed after a night of love making with a beautiful woman such as Bulma. Nor did he think she'd leave him before he woke without a morning exchange. So that could only mean that he passed out like an oaf, and she probably left as soon as she was able.

Which meant he probably had some explaining to do. The progeny of Bardock rose from his bed, stripping to jump into the shower. It was probably best to freshen up before approaching Bulma. She was likely to be miffed at his childish behavior. Before he could carry through with his plan a knock sounded off of his door.

"Enter." he permitted, not bothering to cover himself. If it was a fellow warrior his nudity was not cause for concern. And if it was Bulma, wanting to discuss what happened last evening, perhaps nudity would suit his cause. But, alas, his father entered and he nodded respectively to the warrior he called father and friend.

"Vegeta-sama is calling a meeting with Chikyuu no Ou. He would appreciate the Master Tech's presence, so retrieve her and meet us in the capitol in an hour's time. Be punctual." Bardock ordered tersely before leaving.

Kakarrot blinked in surprise as his father's short commands. What could have possibly happened to make him so tense? Was it another vision? He rushed through his shower, dried quickly, and dressed in a fresh suit of armor. Most meetings of this nature were usually held in Vegeta-ou's office, for it was discreet and did not raise alarm amongst the other warriors. And Bardock's mentioning of the King of Earth, and Bulma, it could only mean that something serious was afoot.

He strode with purpose to the wing of the compound where Bulma's laboratory and offices resided. With this new direction of daily activities, it wouldn't leave much room to discuss whatever had occurred the evening before. He was rather disappointed. He entered the lab, nodding to Bulma's assistants, before knocking on her office door. She, too, was an early riser, so he knew she was more likely to be here than in her own quarters.

"Come in." her voice was distracted, probably nose deep into some files or her computer. He entered quietly, waiting for her to turn from her desk to address him. She paused, turning, and sighed softly. "Hey Kakarrot." Her stress was evident in her tone.

He felt almost...embarrassed. And he should be. He wasn't quite the refined warrior he believed himself to be last night. "I...didn't hurt you, did I?" he questioned tentatively.

She frowned, crossing her arms. "I try to do the right thing and help you to bed and what do you do? You pass out, effectively trapping me beneath you for half the night. Meanwhile, I'm trying not to be suffocated and crushed, and you're just passed out drunk. I have work to do, you know, and you really aren't helping things with your antics."

Her tongue lashing grated on his ears and he felt a twinge of remorse. "I'm sorry."

It was so unusual for a Saiya-jin, any Saiya-jin really, to apologize. Their race's form of communication was often blunt and gruff, and feelings weren't often considered. So to hear Kakarrot's admission was something of a surprise. It deflated her aggravation almost instantly. "Well-"

"I really am sorry for my behavior last night. I was drunk, and so I couldn't really talk to you about what I wanted to." he interrupted, stepping closer to her. He had grown into a large man over the past few years, and she felt the rush of intimidation over his massive frame. He leaned in closer, and she felt something akin to what a deer must feel when a wolf is approaching. His scent, musky, yet fresh and clean like soap, invaded her senses.

"What did you want to talk about?" she queried naively, his chemistry, his masculinity, serving as a distraction from their conversation.

He knelt before her, his large hands coming to rest on her knees, effectively dwarfing them. The warmth of him emanated through her clothes to her skin, and she felt strangely hot herself. "About what happened when we went out to intervene the Prince and his vassals." he informed her lightly.

She blinked, felt her face flush, remembering the near kiss that she and Kakarrot almost shared together. She had fallen into the hypnotism of their embrace, but before his lips could touch hers, Vegeta and company had crashed their pods into Earth. And the day had been so hectic afterward that she and Kakarrot hadn't had the opportunity to discuss this...occurrence.

And, prior to meeting the Prince of Saiya-jin, Bulma found herself drawn to Kakarrot. Curious about his body, his touch, the potential kiss. But once she had seen Vegeta, had gone after him, offered him friendship, brought him back to the compound, and then kissed him goodnight on the cheek...

Well, she was afflicted, to say the least. Both men were intense, and everything had happened so fast, and she had spent every moment up to this point in her life focused on Capsule Corporation and its alliance with the Saiya-jin. And they were in the middle of a great endeavor where feelings and romantic were not a needed distraction. Getting involved with either Saiya-jin was probably not wise.

"I got caught up in the moment." she murmured softly, feeling her face flush further. His hands squeezed her legs firmly, his obsidian eyes open and earnest. Sometimes Kakarrot was so...un-Saiya-jin, and yet, so un-human as well. He was just an unusual man, person, being... She marveled over the contradictions that were this man-child. He was only seventeen still, hard as it was to believe.

"Me too. But I want to see where it leads." He felt honesty was the best policy with her. She was so hard to figure out, her emotions difficult to discern. And he couldn't allow her to retreat into a passive mode of communication. Not when they were at such a precipice.

"What are you saying?" she asked, aquamarine eyes wide. Did he mean to try again? To connect themselves in the manner of a kiss? She'd never been full on kissed by any boy before, let alone an alien one. Was this some sort of sexual dysfunction?

"Can I kiss you?"

She bit her lip, her hands covering Kakarrot's, and took a deep breath. "I..." she couldn't even really form a thought. It was just a kiss, right? It shouldn't be too big of a deal... "Okay. Kiss me." she agreed, closing her eyes and leaning her face towards Kakarrot's. She was twenty one years old and had never been kissed. She might as well remedy that.

He blinked, studying her features. She was beautiful, and it made him so...nervous. In awe, even. He squeezed her thighs gently, removing his hands from underneath hers to cup her delicate jawline. His thumbs, callused and rough, caressed her porcelain cheekbones. So lovely...

He leaned in close, his nose brushing over hers, and brushed his lips over hers. They were soft beneath his own and he relished her sweet taste. He cupped her face firmly, his tongue questing instinctually for entrance. She opened for him, allowing him entry to the delights of her mouth. He groaned softly, his hands tangling in her gossamer hair. The sensations were intoxicating.

Before he could continue, her small hands pressed up against his chest, pushing him away. "Kakarrot."

Her voice held protest, and he arched a brow in question. "Why did you stop me?" he questioned bluntly. She hugged herself, seeming entirely uncertain. "Was it not to your liking?"

"I just...so much is going on right now, Kakarrot." she answered softly. And what an understatement. But when Kakarrot's warm mouth covered hers, as good as it felt, she couldn't keep her mind off of Vegeta. Of his deep ebony gaze, his mysterious nature, the kiss she'd given him on his tanned, smooth cheek. There was just something about the Saiya-jin Prince that drew her in. It dwarfed anything she felt for Kakarrot in comparison. And she didn't want to lead Kakarrot on, for deep beneath his warrior's exterior was a soft and tender heart that could be bruised.

This was it. The time to tell her the truth. Despite whatever was going on with the Saiya-jin, with Chikyuu, and with Freiza, they could still build this precious little thing that was a flaring potential to him. "I like you, Bulma-san." he said quietly.

She felt a flash of panic and stood, not certain how to handle this turn of events. "I'm not...I..." she stammered nervously, and instead fled from her office before she could try to explain. Her mother and father were no longer of this realm, her childhood filled with holes where she could have used her mother's guidance, times her father devoted to science and inventions when he could have explained males, females, and the elusive mating dance they partook in. As genius as she was regarding mathematics and sciences, she felt completely unqualified to handle matters of the heart.

Kakarrot stood. "Wait! Where are you going?" She, of course, did not reply and he followed her. She had walked briskly from her office into her storage room, quickly and quietly so as to not draw any of her assistant's attentions from their own tasks. Her private business was not something she wanted them to be privy to. But he drew their attention with his frantic chase after the heiress into the storage room.

It was dark and musty, but his senses adjusted quickly to the change and he located her amongst the shelves of various inventions, paperwork, and files. She was trembling, rooting around aimlessly, as if she could not muster logical thought that could give purpose to action. "Can't we talk about this, please?" he asked, more gentle than her had ever been with anyone else.

She shook her head. "I can't do this Kakarrot. I care for you deeply, but I can't get involved in this-" Her excuses enraged him and he pushed her against the shelving units, his hands fully encompassing her small wrists above her head. His aggression incited her temper and she struggled in his grasp. "Let go of me, you can't force me to talk, you brute!" she shrilled.

He pushed her up against the shelving again to silence her, but he used more force than was necessary, which brought the objects seated on the shelving units crashing down around them. Instinctually he used his larger body as cover for her smaller, more fragile frame, and she allowed him. The objects falling around them had kicked up and rained down dust, sending them both into coughing and sneezing fits. "Damn it Kakarrot. These are some of my father's late inventions you're destroying." she finally managed to wheeze.

"I just wanted to talk, you didn't have to turn it into this." he retorted sharply, brushing the excess dust from his clothing and hair. Honestly, this was not productive, and they had to get going to this important meeting his father had informed him so briskly of.

She dropped to the floor to gather all of the objects that had been rattled in her and Kakarrot's dispute. Really, she knew he wouldn't ever assault or rape her, but he'd gone to far in using his force on her at all. "Just help me gather these things." she replied, gathering papers that had slipped out of their neat organized piles. She didn't pay much attention to the print on them, they could be organized at a later time, but certain words, unusual in scientific terms, jumped out at her. In the dim light she squinted to read. Dragon...dragon balls? What on earth?

"Just leave it for your assistants to clean up. We have to go meet with Vegeta-sama and Chikyuu no Ou anyway." he snapped, refusing to bend over and do common technical work. Besides, he wasn't exactly pleased with her reaction to his advances, and so he wasn't quite willing to help her with such menial tasks.

"What?" she shrieked, completely forgetting the odd discovery of this paperwork and its meaning, "I have to meet both of them and you only just now told me?" Her decibels went to frantic levels. She was not only a mess before, but was covered in dust now, and was completely not suited for such a superior audience.

And speaking of audiences, her assistants had filtered into the room, concerned not only over the yelling, but the loud crashing that must have sounded from the storage room as well. "Bulma-san, are you alright?" one of them asked, alarmed. They weren't necessarily afraid of Kakarrot, for they were accustomed to his comings and goings, but never before had they witnessed an argument between the two of them.

She sighed, standing. "Unfortunately, though Kakarrot has made this mess, he and I have a meeting to attend. Could you please clear this mess, and give this room a thorough cleaning?" And better lighting too, she thought belatedly. She could barely see what she was doing, let alone read those documents.

Since they were on payroll, they heartily agreed to her request, giving her and Kakarrot leave. "Where are we supposed to meet?" she snapped peevishly once they had left the cramped storage room.

Kakarrot sighed, still brushing the excess of dust from his person. He was entirely aggravated by this whole situation. "The capitol."

"Fine. I'm going to bathe. I'll see you there." And before he could reply or protest, she stalked off. The hell with him, she thought angrily. He couldn't just barge into her lab and demand answers from her, no matter how much he liked her.

Kakarrot sighed heavily and watched the ruffled female leave. That whole interaction had not gone exactly as he had hoped, and nowhere near the semblance of well. Things were not looking good. He shook his head and returned to his quarters. He needed another shower after that whole storage room fiasco.

VEGETA, THE YOUNGER, did not sleep well. Sleep was an elusive creature, one he couldn't seem to capture and consume. Much like the status of Super Saiya-jin that eluded him. In his insomnia ridden night, not only had he trained himself to exhaustion, but he had observed some strange comings and goings within the Capsule Corporation compound.

The first incident was Bulma's escort of Kakarrot's drunken ass stumbling to what appeared to be his bedchambers. She seemed exasperated by the Saiya-jin warrior's intoxicated state, but hadn't left his quarters immediately after entering, which made Vegeta wonder if perhaps they were intimate with one another. Kakarrot had been with Bulma when Raditz, Nappa, and himself had first landed on Chikyuu, so it wasn't a far cry to assume that they were often in one another's company due to the nature of their relationship. Which truthfully, Vegeta thought, shouldn't have bothered him so personally.

But, it did.

Bulma's gentle nature in dealing with him both on the island and in the compound somehow unraveled him from the inside out. Never before in his life had anyone ever been so soft or tender. His life had consisted of blood, pain, and violence up to this point. A feminine softness such as Bulma's was completely foreign to him. He wasn't quite sure to do, for the yin manner in which she handled things was much more powerful and effective than he could ever be.

She made him weak. Well, perhaps it wasn't the best way to label how she made him feel. He just didn't know what to do when she was so kind to him. He had no memories that were ever so gentle in his mind, and thus had no reactions to such behaviors that he could use in response. He felt clumsy, awkward, and uncertain. And those were things he did not want to feel, not after the misery he'd experienced in service to Freiza.

Vegeta's dismay over Bulma's likely relationship with Kakarrot was not only not his business, but it would serve as an unnecessary distraction. But it bothered him. He growled softly, pushing his thoughts from this endless cycle. It wasn't helping him.

He instead recalled the other strange incident that he had observed, which was Bardock leaving his quarters to meet with Vegeta-ou. It was likely that the Seer had another vision and was simply going straight to the Saiya-jin no Ou with the information he'd received, as was expected of a loyal and dutiful vassal. But it unnerved him, the Saiya-jin's ethereal connection with another realm that divulged information that no one could possibly know. He wasn't sure what to think of it, but his own father had made it blatantly clear that the Seer's judgment was not to be questioned.

And so he had not slept, had seen Bulma succumb to Kakarrot's drunken seduction, observed Bardock rushing to deliver what was likely to be bad news, and was in quite the foul mood. His arrival to Chikyuu hadn't exactly been what he had expected, though he hadn't been sure of what to expect. He didn't know if Kakarrot had completed his infant purge, nor did he know if the Saiya-jin still lived. Once he arrived on this hulking ball of mud he quickly realized that nothing was what he had thought it would be.

The shock of his race's survival, though meager as their numbers were, had thrown him for a loop that had taken him a bit to recover from. But now he was focused on the goal of becoming the Legendary, defeating Freiza and then...well, he wasn't going to think too far ahead when his first two goals weren't yet accomplished. He'd leave the elaborate planning to his father at this stage.

A polite, quick knock on his chamber door caught his attention and he went to answer it, surprised to see Bardock standing dutifully before him. The elder Saiya-jin bowed respectfully, making careful eye contact. "My Liege, your father is calling a meeting with the King of the Earth, and your presence is required."

Vegeta blinked. His mind was so over tired, but seeing as how sleep would not find him, he may as well attend this meeting, however ridiculous it may be. He dressed without consideration for modesty while Bardock dutifully waited for his future king. The two left his quarters together, for Vegeta-ouji did not know where the capitol was, and Vegeta tried his best to push the Chikyuu-jin girl Bulma out of his mind.


	9. Sworn Vassal

AN: Thank you for reviews, favorites, and your support. Best Path. :)

Long Way Home

THE KING OF Chikyuu was an old man, one who had been privy to times of peace during his extensive rule. The arrival of the Saiya-jin fifteen years ago had disturbed the careful balance and harmony that Earth had been experiencing up until that point. The King had learned in the ensuing years that even in his older age, he was still entirely ignorant of the universe and its ways, and that he had become arrogant in his old age in thinking he knew anything at all, really.

He'd had his doubts in the beginning, but when the Saiya-jin had helped in subduing the Red Ribbon Army and Dr. Gero, he was more convinced that these intergalactic aliens were speaking the truth. And the Seer, Bardock, had proved himself and his powers true when he predicted natural disasters, wars, and other minor maladies that threatened earth. The Saiya-jin race, or what remained of it, had devoted themselves whole heatedly to Chikyuu and the protection of it. The alien humanoids had started integrating themselves with human society, to the extent of forming an intriguing race of half-breeds who had seemingly inherited the best of both their parents' traits.

Thus far, Earth had benefited from the Saiya-jin's presence and he saw no harm in seeking council with them. So when Vegeta-ou, a man he had come to have much respect for in the past fifteen years, had contacted him with urgency, he cleared his schedule to have audience with him. And so he sat at the head of the table in his board room, waiting patiently for all the pawns of this planetary chess board to assemble. Thus far Vegeta-ou, Bardock, and a young man that Vegeta-ou had introduced as his own wayward son were present.

The president of Capsule Corporation and daughter to Chikyuu no Ou's close friend Dr. Briefs, Bulma Briefs was running late, and keeping the meeting from progressing naturally as it should. The King sighed impatiently, for though he held much affection for Dr. Briefs' daughter, he had other responsibilities that required tending to. "Shall we begin, Bardock-san?" he finally questioned.

The Seer, face fixed in expression of deep concentration, nodded his head in agreement. "They're here now anyway." he replied matter of factually. Even minor details, such as when and where a person was, that no one could possibly know, Bardock seemingly always knew. It still surprised the King from time to time.

True to form, Bulma Briefs strode into the office, Bardock's intelligent and resourceful son Kakarrot trailing closely behind. Both youths seemed flustered and not quite so happy with one another, but their private business was not Chikyuu no Ou's concern and he chose to ignore it. "Ms. Briefs. Kakarrot-san." he addressed both respectively.

Bulma bowed quickly before taking her seat, making it a point to sit where Kakarrot could not chose a seat beside her. "Ou-sama." she intoned softly, placing a tote bag beside her chair that she had brought with her. Kakarrot, unable to seat himself beside his current interest, chose the other side of the table and said nothing.

Bardock stood, facing his companions seriously. "Last night I had a vision of Freiza coming to Earth to destroy it. He is on a vendetta to punish the Saiya-jin, Vegeta-ouji particularly. He will be here in less than a year's time." The severity of his words was not lost on him, and the rest of the table barely concealed heir own individual reactions. It was quite the pill to swallow.

Chikyuu no Ou's heart dropped. "I have known you enough years to believe that what you See is true, Bardock-san. It is just a lot to take in." His hands trembled as he thought of Earth, and its imminent destruction. Obviously, it must be so, or Bardock would have already been explaining a plan to thwart Freiza's attempts.

Bulma suppressed her own gasp, avoiding eye contact with the four Saiya-jin and King that sat around the conference table. Chikyuu destroyed? Everything blown to smithereens, just as Vegeta-sei had been. She felt numb, for she had known Bardock-san her entire life and his predictions had proven true each time. So Earth, the planet of her birth, the only home she'd ever known, had less than a year to live. How cryptic.

Vegeta the younger scowled softly as he absorbed Bardock's spoken vision. That damnable lizard would not rest until he had broken Vegeta-ouji mind, body, and soul. Freiza would hunt him to the ends of the galaxy and back, just to satisfy his own personal grudge against the Saiya-jin race for daring to grow stronger than the Ice-lings. The absolute power that Freiza owned had corrupted him absolutely. He no longer sought after an outcome because of its benefit to his empire, he instead strove after what would satisfy his personal agenda. The demon of his nightmares was drawing ever closer and he was no where near to attaining Super Saiya-jin. Panic, familiar and long withstanding, began to well within his breast.

"We must begin to evacuate Chikyuu. We already have cargo ships that have been prepared for this occasion. 11 to be precise." As quickly as Bulma had gone into shock she had snapped herself out of it. Panic would get them nowhere, but careful planning and calculations could get them somewhere. She could change this nightmare if she was resourceful enough, right? Her father had always told her there infinite numbers of ways to resolve any point in space.

The men all observed her as she pulled a small lap top from her tote bag and began to furiously type calculations into her system. Vegeta-ouji found himself impressed with the woman's quick wit. "How many more can we build before..." The King of Earth questioned, unable to even speak of the devastation that would befall Chikyuu.

"...well, we can't save everyone." she said flatly. There was no use being emotional as she reviewed the data. Frankness was probably best at this point. She typed a bit, chewed on her lower lip, and regarded her small entourage. "Each freighter can only hold 10,000 people. So as of right now, we can only save 110,000 people."

The King's face fell at her clear observation. "Earth's population of Chikyuu-jin is 5 billion right now." he croaked weakly. His heart could give out before Freiza ever even arrived, given this stress. His how life was rout. Everything he'd ever achieved ultimately wouldn't matter. His planet, his people, were in as much danger of extinction as the Saiya-jin were.

Vegeta-ou sighed heavily. He had a similar problem when it had come time to evacuate Vegeta-sei. His people had counted at 250,000 million before Freiza destroyed them, and they could only evacuate a meager 5,000 due to lack of ample cargo ships. "How many more ships can we manufacture this following year?" he queried respectfully to the Master Tech.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard and she sighed heavily. "Only 17 more given our resources. And it is only right to keep the population cared for while they still live, so we can't divert too much away from them or they will know something is awry." Her moral turpitude to provide for the population whom would not be salvaged was beyond the King of Vegeta-sei, but he did not argue. Certain aspects of human culture where not for him to make a opinion or judgment over.

Vegeta-ouji did some quick calculations in his head. "So...we'll only be able to manifest 28 cargo ships to evacuate a population of nearly 5 billion. 10,000 heads per ship only allows...just under 280,000 survivors to escape Chikyuu." he said bleakly when the numbers occurred to him.

It was Bulma's turn to be impressed with the rogue Saiya-jin Prince. "Correct." the delight in her voice at his intelligence was not missed. He was smarter than she had originally given him credit for, though she knew he was not an idiot by any means. But most Saiya-jin were typically warriors instead of scientists or mathematicians.

The King of Earth rubbed his temples. "How...how does one go about selecting who to save and who to..." It was unthinkable, to decide who lived and who didn't. But he had to decide, now that Freiza had decided to end Earth. A cruel decision thrust upon him due to a tyrant's bad judgment.

"It is not an easy thing, to decide one's fate. I experienced a similar conundrum with Vegeta-sei." Vegeta-ou added. And decisions that he'd made as a ruler he regretted to this day. His people were not faring well under his rule. He could admit he felt sympathy to Chikyuu no Ou's predicament.

"To be frank...salvage people who can contribute to the new society that we will have to build. We need intelligent scientists, doctors, people from good back round and standing. Creative people, such as artists, musicians, people who offer promise. And, of course, any Chikyuu-jin warriors would be appreciated." Bulma spoke up, still typing in calculations while she spoke.

The King nodded. "Let me know what you need." he told the Capsule Corp heiress seriously. He had whole heartedly approved of Capsule Corporation working closely on the Saiya-jin efforts, and would continue to do so, despite the difficult situation their presence presented. He needed the Saiya-jin to defend the Chikyuu-jin should the enemy appear, and he needed Capsule Corporation's intelligent inventions to save them also.

Bulma nodded, closing her laptop. "If you excuse me, gentlemen, I need to begin production on this serious undertaking." She stood, and the men nodded respectfully. There was so much to do now, so much to prepare for...

Kakarrot stood abruptly. "Will you be needing an escort, Bulma-san?" They still had not yet resolved their issues, and he longed for a moment to attempt to do so. This tension over their unresolved conflict was unbearable.

The blue haired beauty shook her head. "I can make it alone. Thanks." She left before he could protest and she was glad for it. She and Kakarrot didn't have anything more to say to one another as far as she was concerned. And other things were much more important now anyway.

Bardock, satisfied that evacuation plans had been made, turned to Chikyuu no Ou. There was still business to be handled, after all. "Have you named a successor yet?"

The King shook his head. "No...I have not. Though there have been promising youths..." he answered cautiously. Just what was the Seer trying to get at?

Bardock stood, bowing his head to show reverence. "I suggest you do so. You need to train your heir to competency as soon as possible." He gave no further indication as to why the King needed to choose an heir so quickly, and Kakarrot wondered if perhaps the King wouldn't live to see his people trek throughout the vast breaches of space.

The King frowned while worriedly rubbing at his breast as if his heart ached. "Your honesty is refreshing." he said bitterly. Ever since Bardock had arrived upon Earth, nothing had seemingly gone right. Was it Chikyuu's lot in life to be forever tied with the Saiya-jin? Had they not come to Chikyuu seeking refuge, would they not be facing their destruction now?

Kakarrot scowled softly at his father's callousness, but perhaps Bardock's way was best. At least one knew what to expect. Unexpectedly, his father opened his mouth to speak once more.

"I know you doubt my people and our integrity, but Chikyuu would have met its demise either way. Had the Saiya-jin not arrived upon your doorstep, then Earth would have experience about 25 more years of peace...before Freiza's men came to prime the planet for sale to the highest bidder, enslaving the small number of Chikyuu-jin who happened to survive the ordeal. So, you see, it was all a matter of time, and 25 years hardly matters in the grand scheme of things." Having said his part, Bardock left, leaving Vegeta-ou, Vegeta-ouji, and Kakarrot in the company of the King.

Vegeta-ou bowed his head. "This is where we take our leave as well, though...from experience, I can advise that you compile all of the greatest accomplishments of your people's culture and salvage what you can. Such sentimental trinkets prove of value when one is far from home."

Vegeta-ouji and Kakarrot rose to follow their king, leaving the Chikyuu no Ou to his thoughts, and perhaps, worst nightmare. The youths paused in their steps as the King of Vegeta-sei halted his progression. "Bardock's vision, which will undoubtedly come to pass, only proves that the strong will survive. The stronger you both are when Freiza arrives, the more chance the Saiya-jin and Chikyuu-jin have for survival." His voice was just short of gravel as he addressed his progeny and that of his staunchest ally.

"I will become Super Saiya-jin, the Legendary." Vegeta-ouji murmured, his voice barely audible. He felt the cold numb in knowing that Freiza would undoubtedly destroy Chikyuu as he did Vegeta-sei. Could anything be left unfettered in this galaxy while that white demon drew breath? He felt a pang of remorse that was old and constant when he considered all that could have been on Vegeta-sei had it not been destroyed.

Kakarrot remained silent. He was amongst royalty, and as such his voice did not matter. Instead he watched, hoping that between two generations of Vegeta's best lineage an answer would pop would occur to them.

"If it can save Chikyuu-" Vegeta-ou cut off his own sentence, brows furrowed. 'If' was not a word to be spoken when Bardock had Seen it. Any matter that Bardock had Seen was veritable law. "Train hard over this next year, Vegeta." he finally said, his brain pounding from the information the meeting had gleaned.

He moved to leave, but Vegeta the younger halted his father. "What will you do now, Otou-sama?" his tone was neutral, his expression calm.

The King sighed heavily. "Meet with Bardock." he answered simply. He left then, leaving the two Saiya-jin males to one another's company. Whatever Bardock had told the King of Earth was likely not the entirety of the tale. If he could gain more information from the Seer, perhaps there could be a way to circumvent Chikyuu's death. There had to be something that could be done, but the sinking feeling within his breast told him otherwise.

Vegeta-ouji and Kakarrot exchanged glances before following the King back to the Saiya-jin/Capsule Corporation compound. They wouldn't find answers within the hall of the King of Chikyuu's capitol.

WHEN BULMA RETURNED to her lab, though she barely remembered the journey back, she saw that her assistants had cleaned up the mess in the storage room and had begun cleaning the rest of it thoroughly. She smiled, for her father had chosen his technicians wisely. They were loyal and hard working, thus she rewarded them amply for their efforts.

"Oh! Bulma-san!" One of her techs approached her eagerly. "We've found something unusual. We'd like you to see it." She beckoned Bulma to the smaller office that her two head technicians shared. She followed, curious, and blinked in surprise when her assistant handed her a small softball sized orb. It was orange, with red stars. Two to be precise. She could see her distorted reflection in the gleam of the orb. She held it, inspecting it. Was it a paperweight? Or some sort of decorative feng shui ornament?

"What is it?" She asked point blank, her ultramarine eyes wide with awe.

"We're not quite sure...but most of what had fallen off of the storage shelves were a mishmash of inventions and their corresponding paperwork. So, through process of elimination, we paired this orb with some files regarding research done on-"

"Dragon balls?" she interrupted, feeling faint. This...this was something. If she recalled correctly, her father had mentioned something about a mystical orb he had found, but he had gotten really sick with his emphysema and hadn't pursued the subject further. This dragon ball had been lingering in her mind all morning since she'd skimmed the words off of the papers that were flung about the storage room..

Plus that meeting had been excruciating with Vegeta sitting right across the table from her the entire time. He was sultry and handsome, and the tug of attraction was palpable. Not only that, but he had been on the same page as her, calculating alongside her while they tried to best plan their planet's evacuation. She found herself intrigued by the wounded Saiya-jin Prince, and his mental capability of keeping up with her impressed her.

And now she was the only other human than the King of Earth who knew that Chikyuu's demise was looming in the horizon. Damn it. She was barely twenty and already she'd been privy to more than she'd ever imagined. She felt a deep sense of loss when she considered the future where Chikyuu was no more than desecrated rock orbiting about space. But no one could know about this. She had no one to tell, to weep to. This was a burden she'd carry alone for the next year until Chikyuu did indeed cease to be.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." She took the files and the dragon ball from her assistant, and retreated to her office. In order to forget about Earth's limited lifespan, she'd have to distract herself with her science. She scoured over the paperwork frantically, looking for any sort of answer. Her father's research was not complete, and so if she wanted to discover the meaning of this orb she would have to delve further on her own. But it seemed like there were six other dragon balls and that they held some sort of magical property. She would have to look further into the matter.

At this point any sort of hope was good hope.

KAKARROT SCOWLED AS he stormed through the Saiya-jin compound. On a grander scale, he'd like to say he was upset due to the bad news his father had given them regarding Earth's imminent demise. But, on a minor, more personal level, he was furious at his failed attempts to woo Bulma. He'd screwed up majorly last night with his drunken behavior, and now she was surly with him. So not only was the world literally over, but it was metaphorically over as well. At least it felt that way.

He'd liked Bulma for as long as he could remember. His father had worked closely with hers, and thus he and Bulma had been subject to one another's company quite frequently while growing up. Once Dr. Briefs had passed away, Bulma had risen to take up where he'd left off, and so their communication had only increased, as had his crush when he'd seen firsthand how competent and able she was.

But now it seemed as though he'd blown any chance he had with the blue haired scientist. He usually succeed at whatever he strove towards, so this unexpected failure filled him with a snarling rage. Kakarrot growled under his breath and headed to the training hall. The best solution would be to fight until his fists were as bloodied as his heart. But before he could choose a room in which to train, the demi Saiya-jin youths he'd come to know rather well rounded the corner.

They acknowledged him, as he did them, but one in particular broke from their small group to confront him. "Kakarrot-san, you remember we have a spar tomorrow, right?" Aspara, the short and cute demi Saiya-jin girl, questioned sweetly. She threw her unruly blonde hair over her shoulder and regarded him curiously, hopefully. He wasn't sure what to think of her behavior. He'd been so focused on his thoughts that he was thrown off by this current interruption.

Because of all that had happened recently, he hadn't even given though to the agreed upon spar, but he wasn't going to admit that now, lest he invoke the girl's temper. Saiya-jin females, even demi Saiya-jin females, were a sight to behold when incensed. "Of course. I was hoping to spar today, so if you were willing..." Kakarrot knew Aspara was strong, and could probably withstand several hours of intensive sparring with him.

She seemed hesitant, though eager to accept his reply. Her comrades, previously conversation amongst themselves, turned their attention to them. It made her feel exposed and somewhat nervous. "I can, though it won't be my best, Kakarrot-san." she answered, since she and her companions had just exited their own training room. It was probably evident from her disarray.

He nodded, disappointed, but perhaps others were available for a satisfying training routine. "Very well then. I will see you tomorrow for our appointed sparring match." He blinked when her face, and the other teens, twisted into fearful reverence. They all prostrated themselves upon the ground instantly, and Kakarrot turned.

Vegeta, who had concealed his whereabouts near seamlessly, had snuck up on him. No one had ever gotten that close behind him. Not since he'd been an untrained child. It bothered him more than he would ever let on. "Kakarrot." The Prince was not disdainful or anything of the like, but he was definitely brusk.

Kakarrot nodded respectfully. "Prince Vegeta." He waited, curious as to what exactly Vegeta had to say, for he lacked the authority in this situation.

"It seems you are vexed, as am I. I propose that we engage in a spar to vent this frustration at our current circumstance." Vegeta worded himself carefully, since the demi Saiya-jin weren't privy to the sensitive information that he and Kakarrot were. These youths, Kakarrot included, had all been raised upon Chikyuu, and would probably despair if they knew the bleak future this mud-ball faced.

Vegeta was not emotionally perceptive specifically, but he could read people's stances and their tensions, and saw that Kakarrot was perturbed over something. He assumed it was due to Chikyuu's ill fate, prophesied by Bardock. He was not aware that part of Kakarrot's temper was due to his difficulties in his relationship, or lack thereof, with Bulma. His own agitation, coincidentally, also had to do with Bulma, and the fact that he had seen her escort Kakarrot to his quarters and then fail to leave in a timely manner.

Which only insinuated, in Vegeta's perception, that she and the Earth-raised Saiya-jin were mates. That also implied that she was off limits, unless Vegeta was willing to slay Kakarrot to win Bulma's heart. And not only did he not know Bulma well enough to decide that he'd kill her mate to become the next in line, his people could little afford the loss of Kakarrot's strength, not to mention how it would effect Bardock's ability to prophesy the Saiya-jin race out of further danger.

The Chikyuu-jin scientist affected Vegeta more than he cared to admit. He'd spent the better part of his evening thinking over her strange offer of friendship, and even that silly, single action of the good bye kiss she'd left on his cheek. She was infiltrating his thoughts, distracting him, when she already had a mate at her side, however secretive they were with their relationship. He was feeling a certain degree of malevolence over the matter, actually.

Despite being a Prince and entitled to one's birthright, Kakarrot had seemingly captured the Chikyuu-jin's affections through means inconceivable for Vegeta. What was it that she preferred over the younger Saiya-jin? Would she change her mind, or heart, if she came to know him? Why had she offered her companionship in the first place if she was already spoken for? He felt a mounting confusion, and felt as though a flurry of fists was a better thing to focus his attention towards.

"You honor me, Ouji-sama." Kakarrot replied with a bow. What other Saiya-jin could tell the tale of a sparring session with the Saiya-jin Prince? This was practically the equivalent of gold to the Saiya-jin people.

Vegeta nodded, satisfied. He turned his gaze to the demi Saiya-jin who had still not rose from their bowed postures. "Enough. Return to your duties." The youths, startled, jumped from the floor and left quickly, lest they earn further contempt from their sovereign. "They have much to learn yet." Vegeta remarked in their passing.

"Agreed." Kakarrot looked about the hall and chose a room that would be suitable for the Prince and himself. Wordlessly he walked towards the selected room, and the Vegeta followed. "We can change the gravity, and having training bots at our disposal. Bulma-san's ingenuity have proven useful in the arena of battle."

Vegeta scowled at the mere mention of the blue haired scientist. Women were quite infuriating regarding the inability to decipher their desires. "I see." He looked about the plated room, paying mind the console on the side of the room. He approached it, studying it. The writing was in both Saiya-go, and in the Chikyuu-jin language, and so it was accessible to him. His fingers traced over the screen, and he pulled up the digital gravity controls. "200 times gravity, huh?"

"Yes." He waited patiently as Vegeta explored the controls. Kakarrot had infinite patience where his Prince was concerned. The ultimate battle that would ensue would be a memory he'd hold dear for the rest of his life.

Vegeta set the controls to a reasonable level of ten. There was no use in overwhelming himself if he was not accustomed to the higher degrees of gravity. "Let's warm up, shall we?" he questioned with a toothy smirk.

Kakarrot nodded and snapped into action. Before he could even think, he and Vegeta were burrs skirmishing throughout the room. Vegeta was an aggressive fighter, giving him little time to think of his own strategy. And he wasn't predictable either. The Saiya-jin Prince's time as a mercenary had obviously served him well. He had much more experience than Kakarrot himself. And he was stronger. Kakarrot had known he, in all likelihood, wouldn't win against his liege, but hadn't realized how much stronger Vegeta was than himself until they'd sparred for a short time.

"Not bad, Kakarrot." Vegeta commended as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "But you'll have to be stronger if you're to best me."

"It is not my intention to best you, My Prince, merely stand beside you as a faithful vassal." Bardock had taught him well on how to conversate with royalty, and reassurance of loyalty was a must. Kakarrot dodged Vegeta's fist, but chose not to take the small opening the Prince left unguarded due to his surprise at Kakarrot's pretty words.

Vegeta stood still, effectively pausing the spar, and Kakarrot blinked. Very seldom did a warrior just cease momentum in such a manner. But Princes would do as they wished, most assuredly. "You would swear loyalty to me, to follow me into battle, no matter what my cause?"

Kakarrot was now the one to fall to his knees, sensing the weight behind Vegeta's question. The Prince had been raised under Freiza's tutelage, and as such, it was likely he had few allies other than his elder brother Raditz and Nappa-san. If the Prince was seeking him specifically as a war comrade, then that was an honor he would gladly accept. "Ouji-sama..." he breathed softly, head bowed reverently.

"Pledge yourself to me, Kakarrot." A common practice, to give homage, your word, to your lord. A reasonable request.

"I pledge myself, Kakarrot, son of Bardock, to serve you, Ouji-sama, for all my days. I will attend you throughout conference, give heed to battle summons, and protect you to my dying breath." he swore zealously. He looked up to Vegeta, his expression fixed in bright determination.

Vegeta nodded approvingly. "It is so." he agreed, crossing his arms. Now Nappa, Raditz, and Kakarrot would outfit his personal entourage. Kakarrot was one of the strongest Saiya-jin he'd ever fought, and though still weaker than himself, was a valuable asset. Though Kakarrot didn't yet need to know the esteem Vegeta held him in.

Kakarrot stood, towering over his monarch, and gave the closest equivalent of a smile by Saiya-jin standards. "You honor me, Vegeta-sama."

Vegeta snorted. "Enough of this frivolity. Fight me." Kakarrot chuckled, and Vegeta joined him for a moment before the spar once again commenced. Pleasantries weren't valued amongst warriors. Kakarrot had sworn his loyalty, and that was enough.


End file.
